ARTIST'S STUDIO

The initial idea of the client was to create a place, where the two generations of the family can work and spend time together, though maintaining the independency of everyone’s own personality and work-style.

Paweł Althamer is one of the most renowned Polish contemporary artists. He is internationally acclaimed for his highly conceptual works: sculptures, performances, installations and video art. Ever growing number of projects and exhibitions forced him to expand his family atelier in Warsaw (shared with his father and brother). 

The development covers practically the whole area of the plot and groups it in various indoor and outdoor spaces, serving different users. Apart from the clearly assigned areas, there is a central common space, giving everybody the possibility of working outside and meeting, depending on demand and weather.

Not only does the artist work alone or with assistants, but also invites visitors, such as public officials, politicians, school-children or disabled people, for common artistic activities. For this working method it turned out to be crucial to develop a clear but not dividing gradation of privacy within the complex: starting with the common courtyard, followed by the atelier ground floor used for any kind of sculptural group work, than the mezzanine as a small meeting and office area, and finally a small, fully private and concealed room, that can be entered through a small opening in the mezzanine-wall. The last room is placed within a geometrically deformed, golden object protruding from the main lump of the building, just above the entrance to the central courtyard. The golden capsule completes a kind of spatial loop of the complex – it serves as a place of seclusion and meditation for the artist – being at the same time the most highlighted volume and defining the most public area. Moreover, it may be regarded as an architectural interpretation of Althamer’s art – particularly his works inspired by aerospace, like famous performances from the “Common Task” series.



  • client PAWEŁ ALTHAMER 
  • status PROJEKT 2012 / REALIZACJA 2014 
  • location WARSZAWA-WESOŁA 
  • architectsPIOTR BRZOZA ARCHITEKTEN GmbH, BASEL & PROJEKT PRAGA
  • team PIOTR BRZOZA, MARCIN GARBACKI, KAROLINA TUNAJEK, ŁUKASZ WOLEŃSKI, GOSIA KOCIMA, MACIEJ KOSSOWSKI, KATARZYNA PYKA
  • contractor responsible for the golden capsulePRACOWNIA TRYKTRAK
  • pictures PROJEKT PRAGA
  • textPIOTR BRZOZA