In the heart of Wroclaw, a team from Major Architekci designed two buildings at the meeting point of two worlds - the urban Nadodrze and the green Oder islands. The buildings, in addition to merging the river with the city, combine traditional brick architecture with prefabricated concrete, history with modernity. How does this development fit into the Wroclaw skyline?
bird's eye view
© Major Architekci
ode to the Oder
The Oder River is the "bloodstream" of Wrocław, an element that creates its landscape - once picturesque, once dangerous, but always important. The city, although perhaps not fully utilizing the potential of its location on the river, does not turn its back on it - the Xawery Dunikowski boulevard, after extensive renovation, has become one of the prettiest walking places in Wroclaw, the Odra Centrum moored on its bank tells about the city's relationship with the river, and the iconic Słodowa Island with the MVRDV project building has been a meeting place for young people for years. The cluster of islands in the Old Town area also has a special place on the map; it is here, in a bend of the Oder River, that iconic buildings for the city are located, and further on, just beyond the University Bridge, the river forks into northern and southern parts, gently encircling the Kępa Mieszczanska with its arms.
situation
© Major Architekci
urban patchwork
This section of the city is also the history of Wroclaw in a nutshell - on one side we have the baroque edifices of the University of Wroclaw and the Ossoliński National Institute majestically reflected in the water's surface, and on the other side - the contemporary Marina 3 development designed by Major Architekci. The same team on Sunny Boulevard, on a plot of land at 5-7 Drobnera Street, on the site of a school built in the 19th century (designed by Johann Robert Mende), between the postmodern Park Plaza Hotel building designed by Edward Lach Studio EL, erected in 1998, and a former military detention center formally referring to medieval defense architecture, created two apartment buildings (six- and eight-story).
axonometry
© Major Architekci
The postcard-like location of the project posed a number of challenges - including the restrictions stipulated in the local zoning plan, but also fitting into a rather demanding and extremely complex context. So how to create an object "worthy" of being located in such a valuable place on the map, and at the same time naturally blending into the urban fabric?
Photo: Maciej Lulko
It was very important to limit the scale by dividing the project into two volumes and their natural gradation of height. Both buildings maintain the scale imposed by their closest neighbors - the hotel and the former detention center building, the designers explain. - From the side of the river, the sloping walls of the buildings clasped against its bank like boulders, softening the urban scale in the neighborhood of greenery. From the side of Drobnera Street, the facades enclose the urban wall of the downtown area.
- add the architects.
View from Drobnera Street
photo: Maciej Lulko
like a rock
The key was to turn towards the river - the buildings, on a plan (and in cross-section) similar to a trapezoid, are not monolithic cuboids - the elevations on the Oder side are slightly slanted, symbolically evoking the form of riverbank reinforcements.
Turning the elevations toward the river, "clasping the buildings against the bank like a boulder", was a solution that imposed itself, the architects explain. - This is a unique opportunity to build and shape space in such close proximity to the Oder. This type of location even begged for maximum use of the river's potential. The slope of the elevation allows opening up the space along the boulevard and a better connection with Wroclaw's green islands on the Oder River
- they add.
View from the Oder River
photo: Maciej Lulko
The aforementioned connection with green areas was a long-awaited solution for Wrocław residents - since 2003 the Nadodrze housing estate has been connected with the Słodowa Island by a parabolic Słodowa Footbridge in bright green (designed by Tomasz Boniecki and ISBA, based on an idea by J. Bliszczuk and T. Boniecki). Until now, the access to it ran between the neglected brick buildings of the former detention center and school. Today this area has been transformed, but still the entrance to Słodowa Island from Drobnera Street seems to be reserved for the initiated.
school memories
A memory of the historical development of the plot is a fragment of the old school building incorporated into the new block. What was the reason for this contrasting solution with the modern block?
The brick fragment of the school drawn into the volume of one of the buildings is contrasted with the rhythmic structure of the concrete lattice
© Major Architekci
The building was partially demolished, while its half, or one tract, was fully reconstructed. This solution is a response to the local plan. A vestige of history remained at the junction of the two structures (new and old) in place of the staircase. The historic half of the building has developed spacious loft apartments with large areas, whose interior layer: the height of the rooms, exposed brick, wooden doors, enhances the historic character
- respond the architects.
architectural jewelry
The brick fragment drawn into the volume of one of the buildings is contrasted with the rhythmic structure of the concrete lattice "superimposed" on both buildings. Unifying the objects, the structure is made entirely of prefabricated elements, so that the buildings were assembled on site like "blocks". The rather austere facade of shot-blasted concrete was juxtaposed with "golden" woodwork and delicate railings.
Unifying the objects, the structure is made entirely of prefabricated elements, so the buildings were assembled on site like "blocks"
© Major Architekci
When selecting the facade material, we wanted to achieve the effect of a high-class and quality building. In order to avoid the undesirable appearance of a structure wrapped in a façade system, we used prefabricated elements that are both structure and façade. The process of selecting the right gradation of concrete grain, its shade and blasting power allowed us to achieve the effect of natural, organic, real material. Contrasting with the orthogonal urban facade, it emphasizes the duality of the buildings' character. Let's treat the gold accessories as jewelry for the raw concrete facade
- conclude the designers.
