Like its English equivalent—sensitive—the Polish wrażliwa can mean one of two things. Is this a boutique architecture studio that’s especially discerning and attentive to detail? Or is it one run by a couple of gentle, permeable souls? Having met Agnieszka Kacprzak and Łukasz Szczepanowicz—the yin and yang of Architektura Wrażliwa—I get the sense that both things are true. (Aren’t they always, though? I’m increasingly skeptical of anyone merely imagining their way to sensitivity.)
In this post I’m sharing my photographs of Dom z Natury, currently under construction in Milanówek near Warsaw. Designed by Agnieszka and Łukasz in collaboration with Piotr Duma of the Ryby i Owce design practice, this sustainable house is an experimental build featuring materials and techniques that create hope for non-toxic and carbon-neutral developments in an industry long overdue for a green overhaul. And it’s a personal build, too—Agnieszka and Piotr are teaming up not only as architects but also as co-owners and future neighbors, each of them occupying one of the units of this asymmetrical duplex-to-be.
The house stands on three layers of Glapor Cellular Glass, an biologically inert and remarkably durable insulating material with exceptional structural propoerties. The walls are laid using blocks of hempcrete—a lime-bound hemp shiv construction material with load-bearing, insulating, soundproofing, and fire-resistant properties, which also happens to be carbon-negative. The metal roof’s weatherproofing is natural, too, and consists of linseed oil. The plaster on the walls is hypoallergenic clay. The window insulation is a series of experiments with natural fibers. In fact, just about everything that’s coming to life here is literally conducive to life.
The images are from several visits over the summer, including one of the days when Hemp System’s Mikołaj Wojciechowski was there with an assistant to plaster the interior using a clay mix from Marcin Kacprzyk’s acclaimed company Costka, known for its artisanal clay plasters and tadelakt kits.
If you’re picking up on more than just an industrious vibe, but also on plenty of warmth, creativity, and freedom, then my photos are living up to the task.
And if you’re left feeling curious, don’t hestitate to reach out. That sign out front and the bench next to it? Those are there to help spread the word about hempcrete, sustainability, collaborative design, and alternative pathways to building houses in 2026 and beyond. I’m serious, I can arrange a visit.
When I first showed up it was to check if the materials Agnieszka is using don’t give me a migraine. They don’t. Actually, I suspect a house like this one might even… cement my remission?