Living smart in a the city center

In the dense urban fabric of Warsaw’s Śródmieście Południowe, every square meter demands a purpose. Designing within a pre-war tenement on Wilcza Street, a neighborhood defined by the friction between wartime history and the cosmopolitan energy of Hala Koszyki, requires more than just clever storage.

This project, designed for a traveler, explores how a compact footprint can feel expansive through a singular, unified gesture.

The Continuous Element: Storage as Structure

By designing one continuous element that transitions from one function to the next, the apartment remains fluid and uncluttered. Storage becomes structure. In the kitchen, a wall-mounted folding table adds another layer of adaptability. It disappears when not in use or opens up to become a generous surface for dining or working. It is a small solution with a big impact, preserving the openness of the space while supporting daily life.

A Dialogue with the “Scars” of History

The building on Wilcza Street serves as a physical record of Warsaw’s history. While the facade has been meticulously restored, the inner atrium still bears the raw marks of the war: authentic bullet holes and exposed metal frameworks.

Inside the apartment, the design honors this heritage by preserving the original wooden floors, worn smooth by time. In the bathroom, a reclaimed vintage stained-glass window was installed into an existing post-war internal opening. This “light-box” filters natural light into the shower area.

A dialogue with history and the client

The client, a traveller, wanted a compact place to stay. She wanted a space that could reflect her passions without overwhelming the limited size. From the beginning, I knew the solution would lie in movement, not only how one moves through space, but how the space itself could adapt and respond.

I designed a single, continuous modular furniture piece running along the studio’s walls. Wrapping along the studio, it changes roles depending on where you meet it. Closet. Sitting. TV unit. Kitchen cabinet. By designing one continuous element that transitions from one function to the next, the apartment remains fluid and uncluttered. Storage becomes structure. Connected by colour and by vertical elements everything appeals as one.

Materiality and the Marine Narrative

The aesthetic direction was informed by the client’s passion for the sea. Rather than a literal interpretation, the maritime theme is woven through color and graphic art:

• The Murals: Black-and-white murals, which I designed and executed, drift across the walls. These wave-like motifs break the white surfaces, providing a rhythmic depth that invites the eye to move rather than settle on the room’s physical boundaries.

• The Palette: Inspired by the vibrant hues of marine foraminifera, the color scheme utilizes deep burgundy and warm pinks. These tones ground the lower cabinetry, while white upper sections are designed to disappear into the walls, a visual trick that pushes the ceiling height.

• Tactile Contrast: The precision of the custom cabinetry is balanced by thrifted finds and a soft, warm grey sofa, creating an environment that feels curated.

Lighting as a Spatial Tool

Lighting was treated as a primary material to alter the perception of volume. Hidden illumination beneath the modular units creates a “floating” effect, adding visual depth to the floor. This is contrasted with high-level lighting in the entrance to draw the eye upward. The addition of vintage, thrifted lamps provides a warm, grounded energy, turning the studio into a protected hideout once the sun sets over the city.

The author of all the paintings and murals here is Karolina Howorko (www.howorko.com)