Beautiful Virgin Islands

Wednesday, Aug 27, 2025

A Family in Poland Adds an Origami-Inspired Retreat to Their Backyard

A Family in Poland Adds an Origami-Inspired Retreat to Their Backyard

The owners’ fascination with Zen rock gardens informed the design of this tiny ADU.

After falling in love with Japanese design and culture during their travels, a couple of conservators enlisted Polish architecture firm Medusa Group to create a backyard garden retreat that pays homage to the Land of the Rising Sun.

Having worked with the clients on a house design a few years ago, the architects were familiar with the couple’s priorities and tastes.



Located in the historic Polish city of Toruń, the simple and clean design of the Origami House complements the main home's contemporary styling.



Built mainly from steel, the multifaceted Origami House features a matte, all-black finish that distinguishes the building from its neighbors.

"As a result of many conversations and meetings, we decided to create a simple and small structure, which will act as a sculpture in a garden, a hermitage, guesthouse, or, as of recent, a place of seclusion during a pandemic," explain the architects, who completed the Origami House this year.



Large panes of glass direct views from the Origami House to the garden, which is lined with white gravel, a likely reference to Japanese rock gardens. A large skylight also tops the building to let in additional light.

Local regulations permitted the construction of a small backyard building so long as the structure featured a sloped roof. Sensitively scaled so as to not detract from the main house, the compact retreat distinguishes itself with an all-black multifaceted exterior inspired by origami art.



The architects sprayed a graphite polyurethane coating onto the steel structure to achieve an origami-inspired "visually light, paper form".



Every element and facet of the design was developed with 3D modeling.

The light-toned interior was created as a contrast to the facade and lined with whitewashed plywood-a nod to the fusuma paper-wood sliding doors found in traditional Japanese architecture.



A space-saving staggered steel staircase leads up to the loft with a bedroom and bathroom.

The 475-square-foot dwelling includes two floors. One the ground floor is a living space centered on a wood-burning fireplace with a kitchenette to the side. Above, a compact loft houses a skylit bedroom and bathroom.



Using a steel structure posed challenges for both the design and construction process, say the architects. "It required high accuracy and none of the elements were repeatable."

"The building is also intended to serve a decorative function, as a sculpture in the home garden space," note the architects.



When viewed from the adjacent road and forest, the Origami House appears completely closed with no visible windows.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Spotify’s Strange Move: The Feature Nobody Asked For – Returns
Manhunt in Australia: Armed Anti-Government Suspect Kills Police Officers Sent to Arrest Him
China Launches World’s Most Powerful Neutrino Detector
How Beijing-Linked Networks Shape Elections in New York City
Ukrainian Refugee Iryna Zarutska Fled War To US, Stabbed To Death
Elon Musk Sues Apple and OpenAI Over Alleged App Store Monopoly
2 Australian Police Shot Dead In Encounter In Rural Victoria State
Vietnam Evacuates Hundreds of Thousands as Typhoon Kajiki Strikes; China’s Sanya Shuts Down
UK Government Delays Decision on China’s Proposed London Embassy Amid Concerns Over Redacted Plans
A 150-Year Tradition to Be Abolished? Uproar Over the Popular Central Park Attraction
A new faith called Robotheism claims artificial intelligence isn’t just smart but actually God itself
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner Purchases Third Property Amid Housing Tax Reforms Debate
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Italian Facebook Group Sharing Intimate Images Without Consent Shut Down Amid Police Investigation
Dutch Foreign Minister Resigns Amid Deadlock Over Israel Sanctions
Trump and Allies Send Messages of Support to Ukraine on Independence Day Amid Ongoing Conflict
China Reels as Telegram Chat Group Shares Hidden-Camera Footage of Women and Children
Sam Nicoresti becomes first transgender comedian to win Edinburgh Comedy Award
Builders uncover historic human remains in Lancashire house renovation
Australia Wants to Tax Your Empty Bedrooms
MotoGP Cameraman Narrowly Avoids Pedro Acosta Crash at Hungarian Grand Prix
FBI Investigates John Bolton Over Classified Documents in High-Profile Raids
Report reveals OpenAI pitched national ChatGPT Plus subscription to UK ministers
Labour set to freeze income tax thresholds in long-term 'stealth' tax raid
Coca‑Cola explores sale of Costa coffee chain
Trial hears dog walker was chased and fatally stabbed by trio
Restaurateur resigns from government hospitality council over tax criticism
Spanish City funfair shut after serious ride injury
Suspected arson at Ilford restaurant leaves three in critical condition
Tottenham beat Manchester City to go top of Premier League
Bank holiday heatwave to hit 30°C before remnants of Hurricane Erin arrive
UK to deploy immigration advisers to West Africa to block fake visas
Nurse who raped woman continued working for a year despite police alert
Drought forces closures of England’s canal routes, canceling boat holidays
Sweet tooth scents: food-inspired perfumes surge as weight-loss drugs suppress appetites
Experts warn Britain dangerously reliant on imported food
Family of Notting Hill Carnival murder victim call event unmanageable
Bunkers, Billions and Apocalypse: The Secret Compounds of Zuckerberg and the Tech Giants
Ukraine Declares De Facto War on Hungary and Slovakia with Terror Drone Strikes on Their Gas Lifeline
Animated K-pop Musical ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Becomes Netflix’s Most-Watched Original Animated Film
New York Appeals Court Voids Nearly $500 Million Civil Fraud Penalty Against Trump While Upholding Fraud Liability
Elon Musk tweeted, “Europe is dying”
Far-Right Activist Convicted of Incitement Changes Gender and Demands: "Send Me to a Women’s Prison" | The Storm in Germany
Hungary Criticizes Ukraine: "Violating Our Sovereignty"
Will this be the first country to return to negative interest rates?
Child-free hotels spark controversy
North Korea is where this 95-year-old wants to die. South Korea won’t let him go. Is this our ally or a human rights enemy?
Hong Kong Launches Regulatory Regime and Trials for HKD-Backed Stablecoins
China rehearses September 3 Victory Day parade as imagery points to ‘loyal wingman’ FH-97 family presence
×