The way home – ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS

July 26, 2020July 26, 2020

Folk architecture gems in the Polish-Czech border area

For many years we were observing the slow disappearance of wooden folk architecture from the landscape. What was common and usual in the past, is on the verge of extinction, nowadays.

Crossig the Polish-Czech border area (Klodzko Land, Orlické Mountains and Podorlicko) we can still find many folk buildings. Slightly different depending on the area, they stand out, like rare flowers, with their unique features, like steep roofs and crowned construction, and if we are lucky, we will also be able to spot their influence on the neighboring (newer) buildings, in the form of masonry walls.

Nowadays, these old houses are the subject of special care, especially in Czech Republic. In many villages you can find interesting examples of folk buildings. Habitants love these houses, by the way they they keep the original features, all the way through meticulous preservation, paint (original) and gardening.

On the Polish side, it is worth to visit the Open Air Museum of Folk Culture of Sudety Foothills in Kudowa-Zdrój which presents a few folk gems transferred from Klodzko Land area (can you imagine the complexity of moving whole buildings piece by piece?). If you want to see how it used to be in the countryside there, we highly recommend you pay this place a visit.

Open Air Museum of Folk Culture of Sudety Foothills in Kudowa-Zdrój

Abandoned crowned construction house in Kudowa-Zdrój

May 31, 2020May 31, 2020

Geodetic marks on historic buildings

Geodetic mark located on the minaret of the mosque in Caesarea, Israel

Today, a few words about special metal details that we can find on historic buildings (and not only). Survey benchmark is a permanently stabilized point of geodetic network. They are used for geodetic measurements. In the past they used to be placed on old buildings, like churches - the best were already stabilized facilities that completed the settlement process. Many of these marks are so old that already can be recognized as monuments. Some of them can still be used as a part of contemporary geodetic network, some of them left only as historical curiosity. These details are often forgotten when renovating historic buildings. They are often thoughtlessly covered with paint but we should keep them and expose as integral part of the buildings' history.

Location of historic geodetic mark on Wrocław cathedral

Geodetic marks - Płock cathedral and Wrocław cathedral

Sometimes we can also observe new local measurement points on historic buildings, which are used to check whether a given object is moving, e.g. as a result of construction works carried out nearby.

Contemporary geodetic mark on St. Adalbert's church in Wrocław

May 18, 2020May 18, 2020

History written in wood

We often do not realize how much information is hidden in old beams of historic buildings. Going on a journey in the footsteps of former builders, we can learn interesting things about the structure and its former repairs.

Carpentry joint in Siedlęcin Medieval Tower (Poland)

In historic constructions, joints of wooden elements were made without the use of metal connectors. The elements were connected using carpentry joints, reinforced with wooden pegs (depending on the type of connection). Only at a later time, together with the increase in the span of the structure, began to introduce metal connectors. In uncomplicated constructions as well as during renovations and reconstructions, carpentry joints are used even today.

Crowned construction with a saddle notch corner

Traces of ancient carpenters can become a guide for the history of the building for us, and old beams a source of knowledge about crafts and construction techniques. On the surface ot the wooden elements we can find carpenters' marks that simplified the assembly of the structure (they determined where in the structure the given element should be). They were usually made with chalk or pencil or cut with a sharp tool. The numbering was often Roman numerals or some variation thereof. Based on this marks, it is possible to deduce in which order individual parts of the structure were erected, as well as to determine which elements are original and which were inserted during subsequent repairs and renovations. Traces left on the surfaces of the processed elements of wooden structures can give us information about the tools used - traseology deals with the study of these traces.

Carpenter's mark on the roof structure from XVIII century

Carpenter's marks on the half-timbered structure form XIX century

It is worth to remember about carpenters' marks and take care of them during renovation! If their removal is necessary, due to biological corrosion, it is best to document them in advance.

May 11, 2020May 12, 2020

Szombierki Power Plant in Bytom (Silesian Province)

Szombierki Power Plant in 2014

Szombierki Power Plant in Bytom (Ger. Kraftwerk Oberschlesien) - this amazing industrial building because of its monumentality, dark charm and not typical beauty is very often called an industrial cathedral.

100 years has passed since the one of the biggest power plants in this part of Europe was built. What a century it was! This amazing modernist structure was opened in 1920 and designed by famous German architects Georg and Emil Zillmann. In the 1940s power plant was able to generate 100 MW. With some necessary equipment improvements, it was working until 2011. Due to changes in the technology, the structure stop being used in designed way and the dark times has begun... They were some attempts to revive the object but not very successful. In 2020 Szombierki Power Plant was placed on the list of Europe's 7 Most Endangered Heritage Sites (http://7mostendangered.eu/).

What to do with such a huge structure? It is definitely worth protection but it is extremely difficult to find a new function. Maintenance of such a big industrial building costs enormous amount of money. It was planned to create here an educational, cultural, museum and entertainment center but for a few years we cannot see any progress there...

We hope this industrial treasure will have a bright future.

May 2, 2020May 3, 2020

Dušan Jurkovič – the Poet of Wood

Jiráskova Chata in Dobrošov

Dušan Jurkovič was a famous Slovak architect and ethnographer from the turn of the 19th and 20th century. He was a creator of unique architecture style that was strongly influenced by folk motives. Many of his works involved wood creations - he is referred to be "the poet of the wood". He was creating objects with great attention to detail and perfectly matching the landscape, like mountain hostels, private villas, war graves units and many others.

This versatile artist has created timeless architectural works that became famous landmarks. You can find this masterpieces in the territory of Czech Republic, Slovakia and also Poland.

Our first meeting with Dušan Jurkovič architecture was in the Hradec Králové Region, in the area located very close to the Polish border. In this mountainous neighborhood you can find some of his fairy tale buildings.

Definitely, worth visiting is a place called Peklo, located in a deep valley ("peklo" translates as "hell"). There is a former mill that Jurkovič rebuilt into a restaurant for tourists in 1908-1910. A few kilometers from that place, in Dobrošov village, you can find a lovely mountain hostel Jiráskova Chata built in the years 1921-1924. It is a well known spatial dominant of the area. From the top of the tower you can admire the surroundings.

To be continued.

And remember... Dušan Jurkovič is definitely worth a trip to Hell!

Restaurant for tourists in Peklo

April 25, 2020April 25, 2020

Ślęża Mountain (aka Silesian Olimp, Holy Mountain)

This picturesque mountain is a well known landmark of Silesian region. You can see it from Wrocław when a sky is clear - it is a short drive from there. Its unique cultural and natural values attracts a lot of tourists from that area. Its siluette is recognasibinle, marked with TV and radio mast on top, elevating above the surrounding plains. The mountain and its surrounding form the protected area called Ślęża Landscape Park.

Well known from centuries, as a place of prehistoric cult and place of pagan solar worship (til early medieval times). It was believed then that the top of this mountain is inhabited by gods, hence its common name - Silesian Olimp.

Augustinians probably arrived around 1140 and they built a church and a monastery at the very top of the mountain. The present church dates from the mid-nineteenth century.

On the top of the mountain there is PTTK ( Polish Tourist and Sightseeing Society) tourist Mountain hut.

During a good weather you can see the entire panorama of Lower Silesia.

April 18, 2020May 2, 2020

Railway station in Ołdrzychowice Kłodzkie (Lower Silesia, Kłodzko County)

Poland, home to numerous cultural monuments. Being the meeting point between east and western Europe, it has been influenced by artists and architectures from all over, enjoying unique and eclectic styled buildings.

Unfortunately, due to political and economical reasons, many of those beautiful monuments have been forgotten, and with them....the story of a nation.

It is times like these that we must do the uncommon things, the unpractical....the romantic. We must save them from falling apart. REMEMBER! So our children, and their children, will be able to look back at the road that we have taken. For what is life without memories?

Our family have always been fascinated by trains. This magnificent invention that has so much to do with human history. For better and sometimes for the worst.

Over the last century, many small and beautiful stations have been built across the country, blending in the mountainous surrounding them and bringing people together.

We were lucky enough to be able to buy a crumbling station, moments before it was too late.

We would like to share with you the story and the renovation process.

For those of you who wish to take part in the project, please feel free to contact. Help is always appreciated.

Short history:

Due to decline in the importance of railways in the 1990s and decrease in demand for PKP S.A. (Polish State Railways) services many railway lines were closed. Some of unused facilities were put up for sale by PKP nowadays.

One of them is a small railway station of the Kłodzko–Stronie Śląskie railway line, located in Ołdrzychowice Kłodzkie (German: Ullersdorf).

The location of the station in this mountainous area, the influence of 19th-century architectural trends referencing regional building traditions, and the influence of the Art Nouveau style led to the creation of object of high architectural value which perfectly matched the landscape.

We have been able to stop the building from falling apart by strengthening the structure and replacing the entire roof covering to prevent water damage.

In the pictures below you will be able to see the beginning of the transformation. With some luck and some help, we hope to have an open gallery there one day:-)

We hope you'll enjoy the pictures.

If you have any questions regarding restoration, please feel free to contact us.

Until next time...

April 9, 2020April 12, 2020

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