35:35 Slope House / 77 Studio

Architects: 77 Studio
Area: 312 m²
Year: 2020
Photography: Piotr Krajewski
Lead Architect: Paweł Naduk
Location: Płock, Masovian Voivodeship
Country: Poland

35:35 Slope House by 77 Studio Architecture is a residence built into the escarpment of the Vistula River in Mazowsze, Poland. Conceived in 2016 and realized from 2017 onward, the house takes full advantage of its setting, where shifting perspectives unfold at every descent toward the water. The design incorporates three terraces at different heights, including a roof garden with panoramic views, to connect residents with the landscape at multiple levels. The structure’s defining gesture is an infinity pool aligned with the river, merging visually with the water and enhancing the seamless connection between architecture and nature. Organized in a C-shaped plan, the building creates a sheltered courtyard that mitigates strong winds while maintaining views of the river. Graphite fiber-cement panels provide a restrained backdrop for the greenery, while expansive glazing transforms the main volume into a light-filled pavilion. Awarded at the European Property Awards 2023–2024 as the best single residence in Poland, the house demonstrates a refined balance of design precision and environmental integration.

The design of 35:35 Slope House emerged from a singular ambition: to preserve and heighten the natural drama of its setting. Positioned on an escarpment above the Vistula River, the house commands views that extend across the vast Mazovian plain to the west and toward the silhouette of Warsaw’s Old Town. Architect Paweł Naduk responded to these exceptional qualities by shaping a residence that interacts with its surroundings at multiple levels of elevation, allowing residents to experience the shifting perspectives of the riverbank terrain.

Central to the composition is the interplay of terraces distributed across three distinct levels. From the main living area, a suspended platform extends toward the river, its boundary softened by a seamless infinity pool that visually merges with the Vistula below. A lower terrace, partially set into the slope, provides a sheltered retreat for children, while the roof garden crowns the ensemble, offering a panoramic outlook across the region. This tiered approach creates not only functional outdoor spaces but also a vertical garden that reinforces the connection between architecture and landscape.

The building’s form, conceived as a wooden ribbon emerging from the ground, twists within the interior before projecting outward as a cantilevered terrace above the water. This gesture captures the essence of the project: an expressive yet restrained structure that seeks harmony rather than dominance over its site. To emphasize lightness, the roofs are edged with slim steel cornices, giving the silhouette a subtle, refined finish when viewed from the river.

The C-shaped plan frames a courtyard that offers protection from prevailing winds. Glazed walls maintain transparency through the pavilion-like interior, ensuring uninterrupted visual links to the river even from this enclosed space. Materiality reinforces the architectural intent: graphite-toned fiber-cement panels line the side walls and retaining structures, creating a neutral backdrop that highlights the surrounding vegetation. Inside, the atmosphere is equally attuned to its context. A freestanding bathtub placed in a glazed corner allows for bathing rituals with views of sunsets over the plains or the illuminated towers of Warsaw’s historic skyline.

By embedding itself into the escarpment, 35:35 Slope House achieves a rare equilibrium between visibility and discretion. From across the river, the residence appears to vanish into the landscape, yet from within, it opens generously toward its setting. In doing so, it demonstrates how contemporary architecture can remain deeply responsive to both site and nature, offering residents a place of intimacy, spectacle, and enduring connection to the river.