Kownatki Lake House / Archmondo

Architects: ArchMondo (Piotr Kowalczyk, Karolina Kotowska, Paweł Fiedczak)
Area: 110 sq. m
Year: 2025
Photography: Jakub Certowicz
Contractor: Rohe Development
Suppliers: STACBOND
Client: Rohe Sp. z o.o.
City: Kownatki
Country: Poland

Kownatki Lake House by ArchMondo redefines the archetype of the Warmian-Masurian barn as a precise, contemporary retreat that balances craftsmanship, logic, and landscape. Situated among pine trees on the shore of Lake Kownatki, the 110-square-meter residence serves as a show home for a future 120-unit resort, illustrating the development’s architectural direction. Its compact gabled volume pairs charred larch cladding with aluminum composite panels and a standing-seam metal roof, combining rural familiarity with modern performance. The design emphasizes environmental sensitivity, thermal efficiency, and longevity through a ventilated rainscreen façade, minimal thermal bridges, and ample natural light. Internally, an open double-height living space and tactile materials of ash wood and concrete articulate a calm domestic environment that flows seamlessly outdoors. The result is a disciplined and enduring model for contemporary lakeside living in northern Poland.

I look for inspiration in my surroundings, using them as a foundation for my design. Every project has its unique key to integration, but the context of the place is always my guiding principle.
Interview with Piotr Kowalczyk of ARCHMONDO

Kownatki Lake House presents a restrained yet evocative vision of rural architecture reinterpreted for modern life. Designed by ArchMondo, the house stands quietly among pine forests on the edge of Lake Kownatki in Poland’s Warmian-Masurian region, an area celebrated for its natural beauty. As the first completed stage of a planned 120-unit residential development, the project establishes the architectural DNA of the future resort through its emphasis on proportion, precision, and place.

The design draws inspiration from traditional barn forms typical of the region, reducing them to their essential geometry—a gabled, rectangular volume that speaks of order and permanence. This simplicity allows material and light to become the primary expressive elements. Charred Siberian larch, aluminum composite panels, and a standing-seam metal roof combine to create a balanced composition of warmth and restraint. The dark, textured timber softens the reflective clarity of the metal, while the standing-seam roof extends the structure’s crisp silhouette against the forest canopy.

Within, the planning demonstrates a logical sequence of spaces tailored for both retreat and gathering. The double-height living room, anchored by a central fireplace, forms the spatial and emotional core of the home. Bedrooms flank this communal zone, opening to the outdoors through large glazed doors that draw the surrounding landscape deep into the interior. A sculptural staircase connects to a mezzanine level designed for flexible use, its openness maintaining visual continuity throughout. Materials such as ash wood and architectural concrete express the studio’s belief in honest construction and tactile quality, grounding the contemporary aesthetic in natural textures.

Environmental performance was integral to the project’s conception. A ventilated aluminum composite rainscreen and standing-seam roof ensure durability and reduce maintenance, while their assembly improves thermal performance and resistance to Poland’s variable climate. Daylighting strategies minimize reliance on artificial illumination, and the compact, well-insulated form limits energy loss. The charred timber cladding, chosen for its longevity and minimal upkeep, demonstrates how traditional methods can align with contemporary sustainability goals.

Kownatki Lake House functions not only as a model residence but as a manifesto for the broader resort’s design philosophy—one of respect for context, material integrity, and architectural clarity. Each planned dwelling will occupy a wooded plot of no less than 1,200 square meters, preserving privacy and ensuring that the landscape remains the unifying element of the development. Through disciplined detailing and thoughtful restraint, ArchMondo has crafted a house that resonates with both its natural surroundings and the cultural memory of its region, offering a refined vision of lakeside living rooted in simplicity, precision, and enduring quality.