Construction of a large shopping center has begun on the former Jedność Steelworks site in the heart of Siemianowice Slaskie. Archas Design studio is responsible for its design.
Siemianowice Slaskie used to be called the city of coal and steel, and Huta Jedność (formerly "Laura"), one of the most important plants in the region. After its liquidation in 2003, what remained in the middle of the city was a deserted square, haunted by fragments of former buildings.
the site after the smelter
© Archas Design
The several-hectare site located in the quarter delineated by Sienkiewicza, Glowacki and Piastowska Streets required revitalization and new development. The OTO Park shopping center will be built on it, construction work has just begun.
Now the historic part of the city has a chance to once again become an important point on the map of Siemianowice, which has nearly 70,000 inhabitants. Especially since the OTO Park under construction is only 650 meters from the Market Square. The surrounding streets provide convenient access both within the town and the entire metropolitan center of Upper Silesia. This is because the facility will be located at the junction of the largest cities in the Silesian agglomeration - Katowice, Sosnowiec and Chorzow.
New shopping center at the site of a former steel mill in Siemianowice Śląskie
© Archas Design
The design of the 18,000-square-meter complex was commissioned to the Archas Design studio, which has been specializing in developing projects for large-scale commercial facilities and establishments for more than a dozen years, including a retail park in Grodzisk Mazowiecki.
The concept of the Siemianowice complex did not lack references to local identity. As the designers emphasize, the building's architecture draws inspiration from the buildings and materials that are symbols of the former steel mill - red brick and steel.
New shopping center at the site of a former steel mill in Siemianowice Śląskie
© Archas Design
In its heyday, the steel mill was an impressive industrial facility, ranked among the most modern and largest industrial plants in Central and Eastern Europe. We wanted to respect these traditions by clearly referring to the spirit of the place. The elements of industrial architecture we proposed blend with the modern function expected of shopping centers today
- says architect Maciej Zuber, owner of Archas Design studio.
It was also important for the design studio to situate the building in such a way as to fit into the traffic system of the nearby streets Głowackiego, Fitznerów and Sienkiewicza. The one-story buildings were shaped on a projection in the shape of "L" and "U" letters, forming a semi-open quarter, into the outline of which a parking lot with 550 parking spaces was incorporated.
New shopping center on the site of a former steel mill in Siemianowice Slaskie.
© Archas Design
Above the sidewalk, from which the entrances to the stores are planned, arcades have been designed to protect visitors from rainfall or excessive sunlight, and to illuminate the arcade after dark. The shape of the attic also allows for elegant masking of the boundaries between the designed buildings and visual warming of the glass facades.
New shopping center at the site of a former steel mill in Siemianowice Śląskie.
© Archas Design
The new urban center is to accommodate 45 stores, there will also be service and dining establishments, a fitness club and zones for relaxation, entertainment, games and fun for children.
The creation of the retail park involves the use of tens of thousands of tons of rubble and leftover concrete slabs from the former steel mill on the site. The facility is scheduled to open in the second half of 2026.
