Eco City Katowice is an investment under construction on Konduktorska Street in Katowice. It is being developed as part of the expansion of the GPP Business Park complex, which has earned the highest ratings under BREEAM certification. The architectural studio PANOVA STUDIO of Gliwice-based PANOVA S.A. is responsible for the architectural design of the new office building complex.
Eco City Katowice - a new dimension of energy-efficient construction
The northern part of Katowice has been undergoing a visible metamorphosis for many years and is becoming a bright spot on the city map. It is here that the vision of a new multifunctional district, based on the idea of ECO and Smart City, has been successfully implemented for more than a dozen years. One of the first modern developments in the area was the completed office buildings of GPP Business Park, which have become a symbol of energy-efficient construction in Poland. The new urban premise, which is an extension of GPP Business Park, continues to introduce the latest technologies in the area of increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and enhancing the comfort of office space users.
Designing in accordance with the principle of biophilia, that is, restoring nature to the human environment
The Eco City Katowice project not only implements the latest energy-saving solutions, but brings us into the future. It is creating an office space that, in accordance with the principle of Biophilic Design, will become a modern urban premise, with a complex of squares and paths integrated into park greenery. It will be a space that, unlike other office complexes, will allow people to work not only in the building, but also in specially designed green spaces. It will thus encourage employees to integrate, meet and think creatively, while providing an alternative way to spend time in the heart of the office complex.
Eco Square - the heart of the emerging district
The heart of the entire Eco Center premise and the place where the business bustle will accumulate is Eco Square. The first sketches of the new premise very quickly turned into the idea of two building complexes, and the blocks based on the proven office module, thanks to a fresh urban planning approach, took on a new dimension, creating a unique and modern space. The two buildings of the first complex, located directly on Konduktorska Street, "move closer together" to create a closed interior, while the buildings of the rear complex "move away from each other" so as to create an open form of the square. This treatment, is not only the result of the idea, but also the optimization of sunlight in the interiors of the buildings and the spaces formed between them. Thespace, shaped in the form of squares and parks, is directly accessible from the first floors of all office buildings," says arch. Stanislaw Lessaer, general designer of PANOVA STUDIO, the architectural studio responsible for the project.
Game of light - glass dominants on Konduktorska Street
From the entrance to Konduktorska Street, the seven-story Eco City Katowice office buildings will be visible in the distance. By "hiding" the parking floors behind a curtain facade, the buildings will appear much taller. Dominating the building mass will be a three-story open co-working space and a soaring glass corner. Visible through it, a monumental, overhanging, 9-meter-high staircase will greet visitors and employees of the complex. Anyone who crosses the threshold of theEco City Katowice buildings will know that they are in a modern place permeated with greenery, promoting its users' contact with nature. The facades, which should not be passed by indifferently, will reflect the surrounding greenery and attract the eye with their chiaroscuro shades. Although an identical number of distinctive elements have been used on each of the buildings, the shimmering in the sun, shading risers every time and in every place of this space will create a different facade drawing.
All designed buildings are characterized by large glazings. In addition, they provide a panoramic view of the designed park greenery. The premise of the concept is that greenery is not reserved only for outdoor spaces. It has been introduced into the interiors of the buildings in common spaces such as corridors or connecting passages, and the possibility of using individual solutions in the central areas of the floors has been taken into account, depending on the tenants' preferences.
Eco City Katowice in the evening
vision: © PANOVA Studio
State-of-the-art technological solutions
Eco City Katowice will be equipped with state-of-the-art technological solutions. The simple architectural form of each building will provide the opportunity to generate the most efficient division of office space. Constant monitoring of electricity consumption in real time will make it possible to reduce the costs generated. The goal of the new complex is to achieve the highest possible efficiency indicators, which will translate directly into comfort and quality of work. Proper maintenance of temperature, air quality or humidity significantly affects the well-being of users. In addition, they will offer a range of environmentally friendly solutions such as photovoltaic panels and an energy recovery system. The complex will also include amenities such as bicycle rooms, electric vehicle charging stations, easy access to public transportation or car-free common spaces and "green" zones.
Eco Square - a creative place for work and leisure
Eco Square, mentioned at the outset, should not be overlooked. Park-like spaces, as a rule, are a complementary element to large office complexes and are limited to small spaces with benches and arranged low greenery. In the case of Eco Square, the opposite is true. The carefully designed space into which the Eco City Katowice buildings are blended is primarily a complex of squares, which were not accidentally raised in relation to the street by one floor, as this naturally excluded them from vehicular traffic. The plaza is a space created for employees and visitors to feel safe and comfortable there. It's a space for people who want to focus and get away from the hustle and bustle, work in peace and quiet in contact with nature, or simply looking for a place to take a short break, gather their thoughts or actively relax.
The centerpiece of Eco Square is a plaza that connects the two main entrances to the office complexes, as well as service establishments available in the corners of the buildings. Services such as a restaurant, café and bakery will enhance the common space. The connectors located between the buildings of the first and second complexes become an integral part of Eco Square thanks to their full glass walls. In addition, this connection will be emphasized by the floors, which will be used both inside the connectors and in the square space. Visitors entering the connector from the garage or from the entrance areas will have the impression of a bright and spacious interior, with Eco Square's grasses and trees as a natural backdrop. The square will be the most trafficked area. At the same time, it will emphasize the ecological dimension of the space. Adjacent to the square are two mini parks, one with plenty of greenery, serving as a "green" conference room, and the other, which is a meadow elevated gently above the Eco Square slab, intended to encourage active rest in the shade of two large trees.
The western part of the establishment is the space that receives the best sunlight in the afternoon. That's why such atypical for office complexes functions as an amphitheater, which will host various activities, a sports space with a basketball area, have been located in this part. The last very distinctive element of Eco Square is the path surrounding the entire establishment. In line with modern trends, increasingly implemented by domestic employers as well, it is important to make room for movement in the daily work routine, so an almost 800-meter-long path has been designed, connecting all Eco Square locations, which is sure to be particularly enjoyed by users of the new office complex.
New standards for office spaces
Eco City Katowice is a boldly forward-looking place, creating a new quality of multifunctional office urban planning. It's a place that puts the future user at the center, giving him or her unprecedented opportunities to work in a way that was previously unattainable in places along crowded city streets. Allowing direct contact with nature while working is a new quality on the market of Katowice office spaces, and one that should not be turned back from.
