The female-led practice Też Architekci is combining modernist simplicity with Polish natural beauty

Established in Poznań in 2010 by Małgorzata Siekanko and Paulina Wielgosz-Konewka, with Marta Sękowska-Kulińska completing the collective in 2014, Też Architekci are the most promising young practice in Poland. Or at least Wallpaper magazine thinks so, having named Też as the only Polish group in the 2017 edition of their prestigious Architects’ Directory.

Inspired by the work of veteran Swiss minimalist Peter Zumthor — as well as the classic “clarity” and functionality of Japanese domestic architecture — Siekanko, Wielgosz-Konewka and Sękowska-Kulińska favour clear lines, mixing modernist materials like concrete with an intimate appreciation of the natural environment. Their first completed project, “On the Meadow”, is made entirely of larch wood, blending seamlessly into the grass and forest landscape around.

Trained in Poland and the Netherlands, Też’s ongoing projects develop these concerns further: an “All-Black House” set amongst birch trees; a classic modernist concrete cube in residential Koziegłowy; and a house in Poznań moulded into the cramped urban space. They are also working on a mobile outdoor cinema and an eco farm.

Text: Samuel Goff