Unveiling the Semi Opened House: A Masterpiece of Modern Architecture

Mateusz Gornik's Award-Winning Design Fuses Brutalism with Green Innovation

The Semi Opened House stands out for its unique design approach. Inspired by the harsh, unchangeable monoliths scattered in the region, Gornik envisioned a structure that would complement the surrounding nature. The house is closed from the front, opening up to a private forest at the back. Its interiors, exposed to the environment through spacious windows and skylights, adopt natural decorations, offering ever-changing views that mirror the cycles of day and night, and the changing seasons.

But the house is more than just a beautiful structure; it is a feat of innovative design and technology. The building uses mixed technology consisting of steel, concrete, and ceramics. It is based on structural walls and a grid of columns that support a slab used for the green terrace. The roof, a green terrace, allows the residents to admire the treetops and frames the surrounding greenery from every perspective.

One of the key challenges in designing the Semi Opened House was the plot's context. The large, mostly forested plot required the house to be located on a small glade to avoid cutting down the local forest. Combining concrete technology with ecology was another significant aspect. The designers developed a functional system that gave lightness to the building's shape, introduced elements of nature to the house's center, and used the raw form's strength under green terraces.

The house also serves as a testament to Gornik's commitment to sustainable design. The building integrates living facades and roofs that absorb more CO2 than they emit. Along with a photovoltaic installation and a rainwater harvesting system, the house actively contributes to positive climate change in its surroundings. It is a vision of a potential new order in architecture, where the house becomes the center of influencing the climate and biodiversity change – a new biotope "asylum", a living library of animal plant genes and microorganisms.

The Semi Opened House is a remarkable example of modern architecture's potential to harmonize with nature. It is a testament to Mateusz Gornik's innovative design approach, which has earned him a Silver A' Design Award. The house is not just a structure; it is an experience, a living ecosystem that changes with the seasons and offers a unique living experience.