A lakeside retreat

A lakeside site in the heart of Poland’s Kashubia region forms the setting for a private retreat in the midst of nature. Designed by the Gdańsk-based architectural firm ATU Pracownia, the project comprises a main house designed as a contemporary interpretation of rural architecture, an entrance gate and an outbuilding, an outdoor pavilion, a fire pit and a pool. Together, these elements form a cohesive retreat immersed in nature. Set among fields and meadows, the project explores the relationship between architecture, emotion, and the senses.

“Our work is guided by the principles of neuroarchitecture. We explore how space influences people's well-being and health. We know that direct visual contact with nature lowers cortisol levels, promotes recovery, and improves concentration. The owners of this house were looking to escape city life, so we wanted every space on the ground floor to capture views of the Kashubian landscape throughout the year,” says Paulina Urbanowicz of ATU Pracownia. Schüco aluminium systems support this concept with reduced face widths and threshold-free solutions that create a seamless transition between inside and outside.

The design concept is rooted in earthy, restrained tones and natural surfaces that create a calm and warm atmosphere. The charred façade of the house serves as a unifying element across the ensemble and reappears along the central paths through the site. At its centre is a contemporary interpretation of a barn-inspired house with a close connection to the landscape. In the double-height living room, clay plaster with a tactile texture and exposed timber roof elements add to the sensory quality of the interior. Natural stone and wood-clad built-ins define the kitchen, while modern technologies are integrated discreetly into the overall composition. Microcement floors and float glass balustrades echo the expanse of the Kashubian fields.

Schüco window, door, and façade systems create continuous visual connections throughout the living areas, bringing architecture and landscape into a fluid dialogue. “In this project, the windows are far more than mere building elements – they shape the entire spatial experience,” explains Tomasz Urbanowicz of ATU Pracownia. One defining feature of the house is the fully glazed corner on the ground floor, designed without a corner mullion. The concept is complemented by a bespoke aluminium façade on the gable side, opening the gallery and living spaces to sweeping views of the Kashubian landscape.

The fully glazed corner in the living area was created using the panoramic Schüco ASS 77 PD.HI sliding system, which is designed for maximum transparency. Its manually operated 90-degree corner opening and threshold-free transitions visually extend the living space into the surrounding landscape, in line with the principles of barrier-free architecture. To maintain a consistent architectural language, the concept is complemented by large-format Schüco AWS 75 PD.SI windows with the same frameless aesthetic. The individually shaped mullion-transom façade was realised with the thermally insulated Schüco FWS 50.SI façade system, combining slim sightlines with Passive House-level thermal insulation.