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Void & Mass Villa: Architecture of synthesis
Void & Mass Villa: Architecture of synthesis
Będzin, Poland
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Other Projects by MUS ARCHITECTS
Void & Mass Villa: Architecture of synthesis
Będzin, Poland
Firm
Type
STATUS
Concept
YEAR
2027
SIZE
5000 sqft - 10,000 sqft
A monolithic villa harmoniously blended into the forest surroundings on the outskirts of the city of Będzin.
Context and site conditions
The design of the contemporary villa at the edge of the Łagisza Forest in Będzin is a refined response to the specific geographical and urban conditions of the site, as well as to the needs of the family who will live in this house.
The location of the development on the outskirts of the city, in the immediate vicinity of forest complexes such as the historic Łagisza Forest, defines the primary design vector: the pursuit of harmony between a raw, anthropogenic form and the organic environment.
The suburbs of a city situated in the center of the Upper Silesian Industrial District offer enclaves of peace and greenery, as well as a context of neighboring two-storey buildings similar in character to the classic Polish “kostka” (modernist cube house).
The designed house must reconcile representativeness with intimacy and openness to carefully selected views of the forest surroundings.
The villa follows the current of contemporary modernism, which has strong traditions in the Silesian region, but here it is filtered through a contemporary minimalist sensibility.
The design does not attempt to imitate the historic buildings of Będzin but instead creates a new quality, becoming an autonomous “frame” in the landscape.
Design concept: Geometry of shift and the ratio of void to mass
The foundation of the architectural concept is the use of a pure white volume that undergoes decomposition through the horizontal shift of the first floor relative to the ground floor.
This key operation is not merely an aesthetic gesture but results from an in-depth functional analysis and the intention to optimize the relationship between the building and its surroundings.
This displacement generates a range of benefits, from purely compositional to functional.
A key role in the structure of the house is played by an original approach to the relationship between mass and void.
Windows are not treated as holes in the wall but as strategically positioned frames.
Each pane of glass is designed with a specific view in mind: a wall of forest, a fragment of sky, or carefully composed garden greenery.
Thanks to this approach and the careful selection of the scale of glazing, the boundary between interior and exterior becomes blurred, which optically enlarges the living space and brings into the house a sense of calm flowing from nature.
The philosophy of “blurred boundaries”
In design terms, the contemporary villa becomes an instrument for perceiving the landscape.[1]
The use of large-format, frameless glazing allows for the near-complete elimination of visual barriers.[1]
In the day zone, the living room becomes an extension of the terrace, and the garden flows into the dining room, changing its character with the seasons.
This approach refers to the Japanese concept of shakkei – borrowed scenery, in which the distant planes of nature become an integral part of the interior composition.
The building’s structure operates through contrast:
• Mass: Solid white wall planes providing intimacy on the driveway and neighbor sides.
• Void: Glazed planes (openings), undercuts, and open spaces of the day zone that “aerate” the volume.
This approach makes it possible to create a house that is, on the one hand, a safe refuge and, on the other, an open pavilion enabling full experience of the surrounding nature.
Functional program: Ergonomics and spatial hierarchy
The project, with a total floor area of over 500 m², is characterized by a clear and rational division into functional zones.
The layout has been designed to meet the needs of a contemporary family, combining spaces for shared life, work, and relaxation.
Ground floor: Center of integration and technical zone
The ground floor (313.7 m²) forms the heart of the house, dominated by an open day zone.
It is a highly flexible space where individual functions flow smoothly into one another.
1. Entrance zone: A representative vestibule (1.01) and hall (1.02) lead into the interior, offering an immediate view into the open living room space.
Directly by the entrance, there is a study (1.10) with an area of 17.5 m², enabling work without disturbing the privacy of other household members.
2. Day zone: The living room (1.14) with an area of 60.6 m² is connected with the dining room (1.09) and the kitchen (1.08).
The kitchen is designed as a contemporary culinary workshop with a large island and an adjacent pantry (1.05).
The entire zone opens widely onto the garden through a system of sliding glass panes.
3. Technical and utility facilities: The design places strong emphasis on practicality.
The ground floor includes a number of technical rooms (1.11, 1.12), storage spaces (1.15), and a cloakroom (1.04).
4. Garage complex: The main body of the house contains a two-car garage (1.16).
However, a unique element of the design is an additional, independent garage (1.17) with an area of 61.3 m², which formally refers to the aesthetics of the house and provides space for additional vehicles or hobby equipment.
First floor: Private enclave for residents
The first floor (191.5 m²) is entirely dedicated to the private and night zone, ensuring high comfort and autonomy for each resident.
1. Master bedroom (2.08): An exclusive suite with an area of 31.9 m², featuring a dedicated walk-in closet (2.09) and a spacious bathroom (2.10).
The orientation of the bedroom provides an unobstructed view of the forest.
2. Residents’ rooms (2.03, 2.11): Two additional large bedrooms (approx. 33–38 m²) have been designed, each with its own walk-in closet (2.04, 2.12).
This solution ensures the long-term functionality of the house, responding to the changing needs of children as they grow up.
3. Service zone: On the first floor there is also a laundry room (2.07) and an additional bathroom (2.06), which further enhances the usability of the private zone.
Communication between levels is provided by a representative staircase (1.07, 2.02), which, thanks to its form, becomes a sculptural element of the interior.
The corridor and the room zones located along its extension are illuminated by a strip of roof skylights.
Aesthetic language: Synthesis of Japandi and modernism
The interiors of the villa are designed in the Japandi style, which forms a harmonious combination of Japanese restraint and love of nature with Scandinavian functionality and cosiness.
This approach perfectly complements the minimalist external architecture, bringing warmth and a human scale into the interior.
Finishes and materials
The Japandi style in this project is expressed through:
• Neutral color palette: Dominated by whites, beiges, soft greys, and natural wood tones (oak, ash). Subtle black accents in lighting fixtures, fittings, and mirror frames provide contrast.
• Textures and materials: Authentic materials are used, such as wood with visible grain, matt stone, architectural concrete, and natural fabrics (linen, wool).
• Low-profile furniture: The furnishings in the living room and bedrooms are based on simple, horizontal lines, which promote calm and visually “raise” the rooms.
• Lighting: Harsh overhead lighting has been replaced with layered atmospheric lighting. Paper lamps and discreet wall lights build a relaxing mood after dark.
Detail as a manifestation of quality
In minimalist architecture, detail is what testifies to the class of the design.
In the villa in Będzin, every element—from the junctions of floor materials to the way window joinery is installed—has been carefully considered.
The use of the wabi-sabi philosophy makes it possible to appreciate the beauty of the natural imperfections of materials, such as plaster texture or the unique grain of wood, which gives the interior an individual character.
Landscape architecture: Multi-layered symbiosis with the forest
The surroundings of the house are not treated as an addition, but as a “fifth elevation” that completes the spatial composition.
The ornamental greenery design has been planned in a multi-layered way to ensure year-round aesthetic variation and to seamlessly link the modern volume with the wildness of the nearby forest.
Garden structure and plant selection
The main assumptions of the planting composition include:
1. Low layer: Perennials and ground-cover shrubs forming dense carpets of greenery that “softly” finish the junction between building and ground.
2. Medium layer: Pampas and ornamental grasses, which, thanks to their lightness, introduce movement and dynamism, contrasting with the monolithic white wall of the house.
3. Structural elements: Strategically placed boulders and trees with interesting forms that act as natural sculptures.
4. Climbers and tall greenery: These allow for vertical greening of planes, further blurring the boundary between architecture and nature.
The use of natural materials in small architecture—wood on terraces, gravel and stone slabs on paths—supports water retention and creates a friendly microclimate.
The garden is designed to minimize the need for intensive maintenance by promoting native species resistant to local weather conditions.
Technology and structure: Engineering the white monolith
The external shell of the building is a white, plastered volume executed with high precision.
The shifted storeys required advanced structural solutions, including the use of reinforced concrete cantilevers that allow the first floor to “levitate” above the driveway.
Energy-efficient solutions and durability
The building has been designed to an energy-efficient standard, which, in the case of such extensive glazing, required precise calculations:
• Openings and window systems: Aluminium systems with high thermal insulation, fitted with triple-glazed low-emissivity units.
• Overheating protection: Protruding elements of the volume act as a passive shading system (brise-soleil), protecting the living room from excessive solar gain in summer while allowing heat gains in winter when the sun is lower.
• Insulation: High-performance ETICS systems and careful elimination of thermal bridges at balcony and terrace junctions.
The demanding white facade has been achieved using silicone renders with a self-cleaning coating, ensuring the long-term freshness and cleanliness of the monolithic form.
The garage, as an independent volume, repeats the same material solutions, creating a visually coherent building ensemble.
Summary and design conclusions
The villa in Będzin is a mature realization of the idea of a contemporary suburban home.
The project demonstrates that radical minimalism can be user-friendly if supported by thoughtful functionality and high-quality materials.
Key aspects of this realization include:
1. Integration with the landscape: Not only through views but also through the physical interpenetration of zones.
2. Formal discipline: A white, stepped volume that orders space and creates clear privacy zones.
3. Japandi interiors: Providing psychological calm to residents in today’s overstimulated world.
4. Functional flexibility: A large area divided into logical modules that respond to diverse needs (work, relaxation, passions).
This project is a manifesto of architecture that is decisive yet does not shout; instead, it resonates with its surroundings, offering its residents the luxury of space, light, and silence.
Context and site conditions
The design of the contemporary villa at the edge of the Łagisza Forest in Będzin is a refined response to the specific geographical and urban conditions of the site, as well as to the needs of the family who will live in this house.
The location of the development on the outskirts of the city, in the immediate vicinity of forest complexes such as the historic Łagisza Forest, defines the primary design vector: the pursuit of harmony between a raw, anthropogenic form and the organic environment.
The suburbs of a city situated in the center of the Upper Silesian Industrial District offer enclaves of peace and greenery, as well as a context of neighboring two-storey buildings similar in character to the classic Polish “kostka” (modernist cube house).
The designed house must reconcile representativeness with intimacy and openness to carefully selected views of the forest surroundings.
The villa follows the current of contemporary modernism, which has strong traditions in the Silesian region, but here it is filtered through a contemporary minimalist sensibility.
The design does not attempt to imitate the historic buildings of Będzin but instead creates a new quality, becoming an autonomous “frame” in the landscape.
Design concept: Geometry of shift and the ratio of void to mass
The foundation of the architectural concept is the use of a pure white volume that undergoes decomposition through the horizontal shift of the first floor relative to the ground floor.
This key operation is not merely an aesthetic gesture but results from an in-depth functional analysis and the intention to optimize the relationship between the building and its surroundings.
This displacement generates a range of benefits, from purely compositional to functional.
A key role in the structure of the house is played by an original approach to the relationship between mass and void.
Windows are not treated as holes in the wall but as strategically positioned frames.
Each pane of glass is designed with a specific view in mind: a wall of forest, a fragment of sky, or carefully composed garden greenery.
Thanks to this approach and the careful selection of the scale of glazing, the boundary between interior and exterior becomes blurred, which optically enlarges the living space and brings into the house a sense of calm flowing from nature.
The philosophy of “blurred boundaries”
In design terms, the contemporary villa becomes an instrument for perceiving the landscape.[1]
The use of large-format, frameless glazing allows for the near-complete elimination of visual barriers.[1]
In the day zone, the living room becomes an extension of the terrace, and the garden flows into the dining room, changing its character with the seasons.
This approach refers to the Japanese concept of shakkei – borrowed scenery, in which the distant planes of nature become an integral part of the interior composition.
The building’s structure operates through contrast:
• Mass: Solid white wall planes providing intimacy on the driveway and neighbor sides.
• Void: Glazed planes (openings), undercuts, and open spaces of the day zone that “aerate” the volume.
This approach makes it possible to create a house that is, on the one hand, a safe refuge and, on the other, an open pavilion enabling full experience of the surrounding nature.
Functional program: Ergonomics and spatial hierarchy
The project, with a total floor area of over 500 m², is characterized by a clear and rational division into functional zones.
The layout has been designed to meet the needs of a contemporary family, combining spaces for shared life, work, and relaxation.
Ground floor: Center of integration and technical zone
The ground floor (313.7 m²) forms the heart of the house, dominated by an open day zone.
It is a highly flexible space where individual functions flow smoothly into one another.
1. Entrance zone: A representative vestibule (1.01) and hall (1.02) lead into the interior, offering an immediate view into the open living room space.
Directly by the entrance, there is a study (1.10) with an area of 17.5 m², enabling work without disturbing the privacy of other household members.
2. Day zone: The living room (1.14) with an area of 60.6 m² is connected with the dining room (1.09) and the kitchen (1.08).
The kitchen is designed as a contemporary culinary workshop with a large island and an adjacent pantry (1.05).
The entire zone opens widely onto the garden through a system of sliding glass panes.
3. Technical and utility facilities: The design places strong emphasis on practicality.
The ground floor includes a number of technical rooms (1.11, 1.12), storage spaces (1.15), and a cloakroom (1.04).
4. Garage complex: The main body of the house contains a two-car garage (1.16).
However, a unique element of the design is an additional, independent garage (1.17) with an area of 61.3 m², which formally refers to the aesthetics of the house and provides space for additional vehicles or hobby equipment.
First floor: Private enclave for residents
The first floor (191.5 m²) is entirely dedicated to the private and night zone, ensuring high comfort and autonomy for each resident.
1. Master bedroom (2.08): An exclusive suite with an area of 31.9 m², featuring a dedicated walk-in closet (2.09) and a spacious bathroom (2.10).
The orientation of the bedroom provides an unobstructed view of the forest.
2. Residents’ rooms (2.03, 2.11): Two additional large bedrooms (approx. 33–38 m²) have been designed, each with its own walk-in closet (2.04, 2.12).
This solution ensures the long-term functionality of the house, responding to the changing needs of children as they grow up.
3. Service zone: On the first floor there is also a laundry room (2.07) and an additional bathroom (2.06), which further enhances the usability of the private zone.
Communication between levels is provided by a representative staircase (1.07, 2.02), which, thanks to its form, becomes a sculptural element of the interior.
The corridor and the room zones located along its extension are illuminated by a strip of roof skylights.
Aesthetic language: Synthesis of Japandi and modernism
The interiors of the villa are designed in the Japandi style, which forms a harmonious combination of Japanese restraint and love of nature with Scandinavian functionality and cosiness.
This approach perfectly complements the minimalist external architecture, bringing warmth and a human scale into the interior.
Finishes and materials
The Japandi style in this project is expressed through:
• Neutral color palette: Dominated by whites, beiges, soft greys, and natural wood tones (oak, ash). Subtle black accents in lighting fixtures, fittings, and mirror frames provide contrast.
• Textures and materials: Authentic materials are used, such as wood with visible grain, matt stone, architectural concrete, and natural fabrics (linen, wool).
• Low-profile furniture: The furnishings in the living room and bedrooms are based on simple, horizontal lines, which promote calm and visually “raise” the rooms.
• Lighting: Harsh overhead lighting has been replaced with layered atmospheric lighting. Paper lamps and discreet wall lights build a relaxing mood after dark.
Detail as a manifestation of quality
In minimalist architecture, detail is what testifies to the class of the design.
In the villa in Będzin, every element—from the junctions of floor materials to the way window joinery is installed—has been carefully considered.
The use of the wabi-sabi philosophy makes it possible to appreciate the beauty of the natural imperfections of materials, such as plaster texture or the unique grain of wood, which gives the interior an individual character.
Landscape architecture: Multi-layered symbiosis with the forest
The surroundings of the house are not treated as an addition, but as a “fifth elevation” that completes the spatial composition.
The ornamental greenery design has been planned in a multi-layered way to ensure year-round aesthetic variation and to seamlessly link the modern volume with the wildness of the nearby forest.
Garden structure and plant selection
The main assumptions of the planting composition include:
1. Low layer: Perennials and ground-cover shrubs forming dense carpets of greenery that “softly” finish the junction between building and ground.
2. Medium layer: Pampas and ornamental grasses, which, thanks to their lightness, introduce movement and dynamism, contrasting with the monolithic white wall of the house.
3. Structural elements: Strategically placed boulders and trees with interesting forms that act as natural sculptures.
4. Climbers and tall greenery: These allow for vertical greening of planes, further blurring the boundary between architecture and nature.
The use of natural materials in small architecture—wood on terraces, gravel and stone slabs on paths—supports water retention and creates a friendly microclimate.
The garden is designed to minimize the need for intensive maintenance by promoting native species resistant to local weather conditions.
Technology and structure: Engineering the white monolith
The external shell of the building is a white, plastered volume executed with high precision.
The shifted storeys required advanced structural solutions, including the use of reinforced concrete cantilevers that allow the first floor to “levitate” above the driveway.
Energy-efficient solutions and durability
The building has been designed to an energy-efficient standard, which, in the case of such extensive glazing, required precise calculations:
• Openings and window systems: Aluminium systems with high thermal insulation, fitted with triple-glazed low-emissivity units.
• Overheating protection: Protruding elements of the volume act as a passive shading system (brise-soleil), protecting the living room from excessive solar gain in summer while allowing heat gains in winter when the sun is lower.
• Insulation: High-performance ETICS systems and careful elimination of thermal bridges at balcony and terrace junctions.
The demanding white facade has been achieved using silicone renders with a self-cleaning coating, ensuring the long-term freshness and cleanliness of the monolithic form.
The garage, as an independent volume, repeats the same material solutions, creating a visually coherent building ensemble.
Summary and design conclusions
The villa in Będzin is a mature realization of the idea of a contemporary suburban home.
The project demonstrates that radical minimalism can be user-friendly if supported by thoughtful functionality and high-quality materials.
Key aspects of this realization include:
1. Integration with the landscape: Not only through views but also through the physical interpenetration of zones.
2. Formal discipline: A white, stepped volume that orders space and creates clear privacy zones.
3. Japandi interiors: Providing psychological calm to residents in today’s overstimulated world.
4. Functional flexibility: A large area divided into logical modules that respond to diverse needs (work, relaxation, passions).
This project is a manifesto of architecture that is decisive yet does not shout; instead, it resonates with its surroundings, offering its residents the luxury of space, light, and silence.
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