Pawła 12, Katowice — tenement renovation in the city centre

Katowice is a city long associated primarily with industry and post-war development. Its centre, however, contains many tenement buildings from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries — listed, neglected, but architecturally significant. The building at Pawła 12 is one such property: a solid brick structure with richly ornamented façades, requiring a thorough renovation.

Context and challenges

The project commissioned from CHD and Idea Development in 2024 covered a comprehensive concept for the renovation of the building, which is included in the municipal heritage inventory. For years the tenement had been used without adequate maintenance — the façade required restoration of its architectural detail, the staircase needed a full overhaul, and all installations needed complete replacement.

The key design challenge was reconciling two apparently contradictory requirements: preserving the historic character of the building and adapting it to contemporary standards of use and energy efficiency. The conservation officer expects the detail to be preserved; the investor expects comfort and efficiency.

Design approach

The starting point was a detailed survey of the existing condition: photographic and measured documentation of the façades, structural analysis, assessment of the condition of the floors and staircase. Only on this basis can a meaningful conversation take place — with both the conservation officer and the investor. Without a survey, any discussion about the scope of works is speculation.

The façade will be restored with the original division, cornices and stucco detail preserved — where the original survives in sufficient condition, it serves as the direct reference. The colour scheme is established on the basis of investigation of historic plaster layers. Windows: timber sash — a conservation officer requirement, but also the right choice for a tenement of this period.

Programme and interiors

The building after renovation retains its mixed residential-commercial function: commercial units on the ground floor, apartments on the upper floors. The internal layout of the apartments is largely preserved — the historic brick partition walls are part of the building's character, not an obstacle. Adaptation consists of new finishes, installations and improved daylighting where the layout allows.

The staircase: the original terracotta floor will be cleaned and completed. The stair balustrade — wrought iron — restored from photographic documentation. These are the details that determine whether, after renovation, a building retains its soul or loses it.

Process and programme

The project is in progress — at the design documentation stage. Obtaining a building permit for buildings in the municipal heritage inventory requires consultation with the Regional Heritage Conservation Officer (WKZ) and incorporating their guidance into the project. Experience shows it is worth treating the conservation officer as a partner at an early stage, rather than as an obstacle at the permit application stage.

Construction is planned for 2025–2026. The project is evidence that Katowice is returning to a conscious approach to its city centre — the renovation of individual tenements is just as important here as major development projects.