Check Out This Contemporary Polish Home as Photographed by Piotr Krajewski
Today’s featured project takes us to Konin, Poland where we’ll be checking out a contemporary residence by STOPROCENT Architekci called “K House.”
K House was built over a long span of time. It was started in 2012, and after many unforeseen circumstances and changes, it was finally wrapped up in 2021! To document this carefully built project in all its splendor, STOPROCENT had Polish architect-turned-photographer Piotr Krajewski tackle the job. What I love about Piotr’s work is its unfussy simplicity. He cuts out extraneous information while still giving us a nice dose of context. Take this opening image for example — we are introduced to K House, can see the way it is made of rectangular volumes, note some of the materials we will become familiar with throughout the building, and ultimately see the home in relation to its surroundings.
Piotr shares “The photoshoot of K-House for Stoprocent Architekci was one of the most pleasant works that I had done in 2021. When I arrived on location, the project charmed me with its simplicity, used materials, designed solutions, and also the way it corresponds with the adjacent garden. The views from the bedroom and living room were stunning. I was also impressed by how the afternoon light penetrated the living room and how the colours on the bright façade changed with every moment of the passing day.”
“I really liked the interiors designed by the owners of the house,” He continues. “They were able to create the space that was their individual work and at the same time perfectly complemented the project of the house made by the architects.”
We see that complimentary, simplistic design here. Piotr documents the wide, open feeling of the dining and kitchen area. His perspective allows us to visually walk down the hall, noting the built-ins and plentiful use of warm wooden cabinetry. Piotr’s timing is perfect, and the shadows and light patterns streaming into the house add depth, separation, and some visual interest to this simple scene.
And again here, I love the zig-zags of light and shadow streaming across the floor. They add more lines that pull our eyes through the image and emphasize the geometric shapes of the structure.
The dappled leaves in the patches of sunlight remind us of the beautiful gardens surrounding K House. They add a soft, organic quality amidst the bold lines and repetitive rectangles we find in this scene.
Piotr tells “The beginning of the day was cloudy so I decided to take most of the photos in the afternoon and in the evening. It was a good decision and I had a lot of fun during the whole photo shoot. The house and garden were in great shape. I was warmly welcomed by the owners. They were also very helpful during the whole process of photo shoot. Everything went according to plan and the biggest challenge was to fight with the mosquitoes during the evening shoots. They were everywhere.”
Sharing a bit about his photographic process, Piotr says “The process of photographing architecture is always quite similar for me. I try to imagine (more or less) what the object looks like and how it is situated in relation to the directions of the sun before arriving. I choose the day that I consider appropriate for the photo session and make an appointment with the owners.
I never think too much about the object until I see it. I like to discover the project while shooting. I look for interesting places, frames and act right away. My basic equipment is Canon 5DSR and 24 TS-E and 70-200mm lenses. I take about 90% of the photos with this set. I also use 17 TS-E, 45 TS-E, 50mm and other lenses sometimes. I take pictures in the technique of bracketing and then combine it all in post-production using the HDR technique.”
His advice for photographers shooting a similar project is simple. Piotr says “Photographing single-family houses is one of the most enjoyable and easy sections of architectural photography. You have control over many things (condition of the facility, surroundings, lighting) over which you have no control when photographing office or public buildings. My advice is to relax and search for cool shots in which you will tell the stories about the building, from its location to the details and materials of which it is built.”
Many thanks to Piotr and STOPROCENT Architekci for submitting this series to us for Project of the Week! See more of Piotr’s work via his website pkrajewski.pl, as well as on Instagram @pkrajewski.pl
If you have a project you’d like to be considered for Project of the Week, you can submit it here.
