Monika Sosnowska Studio

ARCHITECTURE CLUB designed two complementary volumes: a spacious concrete and glass studio and a wooden storage shed.

The concrete 5 x 12m frame of the studio spans over 12m, capturing northern and southern light through fully glazed facades. The rough texture of the concrete, cast against timber planks, echoes wooden sheds once characteristic for this neighbourhood and its tangible presence is a perfect backdrop for the sculptures.

The wish to juxtapose its heavy materiality with the slenderest steel structure of the glazing, led the architects to design custom-made facades. They were eventually welded on site by the same craftsmen the artist works with on her pieces.

The translucent glass of the street facade, reinforced with gridded wire, blurs outside and offers privacy. The low-iron, transparent glazing to the north opens to the tranquil garden.

The ceiling slab, spanning across 12m, is supported by three steel I-beams, which accommodate the lighting system and serve as a substructure for an art crane. A freestanding solid oak furniture unfolds into a small toilet, kitchen and an art storage. It is accompanied by 6m long oak table.

All elements and details are custom made. All systems, including geothermal heating and cooling, ventilation, alarm etc. are seamlessly incorporated, making this minimal space an efficiently working machine, providing the optimal art conditions.

The outside storage, complementing the atelier, is a simple timber shed attached to the existing garage creating an intimate garden path between the two new volumes.

The atelier was completed in 2019 and photographed in spring that year by Hélène Binet.