Marek Łańcucki - MAARTE - Architect
What is the most important aspect in an architect's work?
Marek Łańcucki: Architecture is a profession that creates space for people, places to live, places to work, stay and spend leisure time. The architect's job is to coordinate all the things that are needed to make a particular building.
In what ways can architecture be approached and how do you approach it?
MŁ: There are historical trends related to how art is shaped from painting, sculpture, to photography or installations. One trend at the moment is ecological architecture, the kind that is environmentally friendly. This presents us with new and fascinating challenges.
Where did the idea for going down the architectural path come from?
MŁ: The reason is prosaic - my dad is an architect. In my family, most of us had some sort of connection with architecture or art. Ever since I was a child I liked drawing. I always knew what I wanted to do in life. It's not a profession - I feel like an architect. I really enjoy doing it. I've been working for almost 24 years and I love it more and more.
What are the characteristics of a good architect?
MŁ: First of all, an architect must have spatial imagination, that’s the basic requirement. You need it in order to design. We don't design by drawing. We have to have an exact idea way before we even begin to draw. Everything first comes out in our imagination. Then there's a love of shaping both the brick and mortar, as well as the details.
What does your collaboration with Invest Komfort look like?
MŁ: It started 12 years ago with the Nadmorski Dwór development. This was the project in which I first decided to implement Howard's idea, known as the “garden city”. We made sketches of every building, every volume, showing that it could be integrated with nature - overgrown with greenery. At the same time, we took a rather creative approach to using what the site gave us. We extended the greenery to the whole housing estate, making it the main theme. Then we carried out further projects: Nadmorski Park, Bursztynowa and Botanica, all of which received awards in Poland and abroad.
How did you feel about this collaboration?
MŁ: I must admit that collaborating with Invest Komfort is exceptional. Such attention to quality does not happen often. I know this, having worked with many companies in Poland and around the world. Invest Komfort is an owner-operated company, not a corporation. The board is involved in projects, from the concept to its completion. The result, on the one hand, is that we have the opportunity to carry out an exceptional project, often using exceptional materials. Invest Komfort cares about the end result for years on end. On the other hand, by using these materials and working together, the results are very good. Many times during site visits I was surprised by the quality of the workmanship. There are no imperfections or inaccuracies which can sometimes be seen in other developers' projects.
Marek Łańcucki
Architect, graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. He also studied in the USA on a Fullbright scholarship. He worked in renowned architectural studios in Warsaw and London. Since 2008 he has been running his own architectural studio Maarte.