Many mature trees, three office frontages, fourth in preparation. The new square in Poznań is open! Green, diverse, friendly. This is the central part of the complex dubbed, strongly exaggeratedly, the New Market. Together with the square designed by Ultra Architects, the team's tallest office building by JEMS Architects also opens. The square—flawless. Office building—good, but too low. Apartments have disappeared from the developer's further plans. The successful complex is threatened by functional monotony.
„New Market” has been under construction since 2017 in close proximity to Poznań's Central Station, on the site of the former PKS station at the intersection of Matya and Wierzbięcice streets. The entire complex is being developed based on an urban masterplan by JEMS Architekci, which won the investor's closed competition in 2016.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, general view from the west, in front of CH Avenida and the entrance to the so-called main railway station
photo: Jakub Głaz
To avoid visual monotony, subsequent office buildings are designed by different authors. The first two, commissioned in 2019, are the work of Maćków Pracownia Projektowa. The third—with a magnificent inner courtyard—is a project by Medusa Group (2021). Now the fourth, the corner and tallest one—designed by JEMS Architects- is opening. The adjacent pergola with brine graduation towers is also by this studio. The plaza and other spaces between the office buildings, which opened on Monday, are in turn designed by Poznań-based Ultra Architects. The same office is now chiseling the design of the last office section, the facade of which will form the fourth, still missing, western frontage of the square.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, square arrangement, designed by Ultra Architects, on the left: office building designed by Maćków Pracownia Projektowa, in front: JEMS Architects, on the right: Medusa Group
photo: Jakub Glaz
too bad it got smaller
With the opening of the office building and accompanying spaces, the investor, SKANSKA, has opened a considerable bag of novelties. For obvious reasons, the office building exposed on the corner lot stands out among them. The regular „grids” of the facade typical of many JEMS Architekci projects have been enlivened with a concave-convex arrangement of brownish metal cladding. Their simple drawing contrasts successfully with the much more varied facades of the office building from Medusa Group. Unfortunately, as we wrote more than a year ago, the complex's newest building is several stories too low and too massive compared to the original intentions.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań—View from the north, from the area of Stary Browar, from the left—office buildings designed by Medusa Group, JEMS Architekci, Maćków Pracownia Projektowa
photo: Jakub Głaz
The height difference between im and the neighboring building is basically symbolic, which creates a strange impression of unfinishedness or error. It would have been better if the corner landmark had been as tall as its neighbor, or taller by at least a dozen meters. We will write more about the new building by JEMS Architects, its details, interiors and the view from the terrace on the last usable floor soon.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, 1. view of the newest office building from the passage between the first office buildings of the comp;leks, 2. view from the north from Matya street, in front of the office building pergola
photo: Jakub Głaz
Compensating for the inadequacies of the new spot building is a stylistically coherent with it spacious ground-floor pergola on a triangular plan, which was built at the corner entrance to the complex. It provides a friendly point of contact with the city thanks to its varied greenery, climbing plants, well-conceived seating, trampolines placed at floor level and—what makes the place unique—three small saline graduation towers.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, pergola next to the new office building, by JEMS Architekci, in the background office buildings by Maćków Pracoawnia Projektowa
photo: Jakub Glaz
The raw concrete elements harmonize well with the warm colors of the seats and the exterior cladding of the structure, the same as on the office building's facades. Expressive quadrangular cutouts in the pergola's canopy add dynamism to the overall design, framing the adjacent elevations and allowing for greater play of light and shadow. The pergola also serves as an invitation into the perimeter of the complex and the new square.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, interior of the pergola, on the right visible three graduation towers, proj. JEMS Architekci
photo: Jakub Glaz
The square is located in the central part of the complex, sheltered from the busy streets by office buildings, and presents itself very well—mainly due to its free composition, fifteen trees (plane trees, oaks, hornbeams, gledits—at once with sizable crowns providing shade), a large amount of low greenery and varied small architecture. Various forms of benches and seating allow you to use the space individually or in a group. In the evening, intimate illumination is provided by spherical lamp shades strung on ropes between undersized poles. Several other „traditional” lamps house swiftlets' boxes.
Office complex and square „Nowy Rynek” in Poznań, „a square in the form of a park” proj. Ultra Architects
photo: Jakub Glaz
big trees—and everything is fine!
Both the benches and the pavement are a continuation of the solutions Ultra Architects has already used in the spaces between office buildings from Zbigniew Maćkow's studio. Square concrete slabs dominate the floor, while cubes of a slightly more refined composite lie within intimate enclaves with semicircular benches. Stone can be found within a sidewalk fountain with jets placed in the floor. Correct materials, of standard quality, which is probably related to the investor's veined budget, but—combined with the rest of the elements—the whole looks very good.
Square of „Nowy Rynek” complex in Poznań, proj. Ultra Architects 1. the newest office building proj. JEMS Architekci, 2. view from the arcade of the first office buildings to the newer buildings proj. JEMS Architekci and Medusa Group
photo: Jakub Glaz
Great credit for this is due to the mature trees, which make the square look as if it has existed here for a long time. The space is friendly, conducive to relaxation, and the varied elevations around the square give it an urban feel. It is worth appreciating that large trees and greenery grow above the underground parking lot, which had to be designed deeper for this reason. A peripheral and very pleasant consequence of the existence of the automobile underground is during hot weather the cool air coming from the parking lot through the extensive ventilation grilles in the square's floor.
Office complex and „Nowy Rynek” square in Poznań, view through the fountain on the northern frontage (office building proj. Macieków Pracownia Projektowa)
photo: Jakub Głaz
public? not quite
However, the name „New Market,” which has been promoted by the investor from the beginning, is an overstatement. It is an exceptionally successful and useful square for the city, or, as we read in the press materials, „a square in the form of a park,” but certainly not a space that can be considered a continuation of the typical neighborhood markets delineated in Poznań in the early 20th century. First, it is a place of public character, but—yet—in private hands. Second, it does not and will not perform all the functions of a typical market, including a daily market. Finally, third, it will be surrounded by mono-functional office buildings. Indeed, the developer has unfortunately abandoned the residential quarter on the west side of the square.
The office complex and the „Nowy Rynek” square in Poznań, various forms of small architecture, with the UEP Collegium Altum skyscraper in the clearance
photo: Jakub Głaz
The apartments will be replaced by offices now being designed by Ultra Architects. Meanwhile, when SKANSKA and the City announced plans for Nowy Rynek six years ago, they cited the investment's diverse function as an asset. Unfortunately. The City failed to trigger a local plan that would legally secure the idea.
Office complex and „Nowy Rynek” square in Poznań, fountain in the background of the office buildings
photo: Jakub Głaz
And one more thing, during the opening, the mayor of Poznań, Jacek Jaskowiak appreciated the scale and quality of the project, the number of jobs it created and announced that the
now it's also a place to meet and relax among the greenery, which can be used by all residents.
Perhaps he didn't know that the playground within the complex bears a plaque stating that it can only be used by children of employees of Allegro (it is headquartered at Nowy Rynek) and its „affiliated companies” attending a particular private kindergarten. It's quite a gaffe in a style typical of Polish corporations, which weakens the „public” character of the square.
The „Nowy Rynek” office complex and square in Poznań, a walkway with a problematic playground (deep) on the side of Jakub Wujka Street
Photo: Jakub Głaz
Information about „smog-absorbing" sidewalk slabs is also a minor quibble. It seemed that this type of marketing effort had already become somewhat discredited, but—as you can see—not quite. An unwise move, especially since the square itself and the greenery present on it testify well to the investor. It would be good if the example was taken from him by the city authorities, which in arranging truly public spaces (the revalorization of the downtown as part of the so-called ” Center Project") have recently fallen into considerable design and execution turbulence.
Office complex and „Nowy Rynek” square in Poznań, 1. view from the new square of the empty space planned for office development in the last stage, 2. in place of the barracks the last quarter of the development will be built, view from the southwest
Photo: Jakub Głaz
It now remains to be seen whether the new space on the former PKS site will be bustling with life, especially in the evenings after the offices close. Much will depend here on the tenants of the as-yet-unrented first floors at the square and the prices of the services they offer. In the long run, the significance of the square will be determined by further investments between the PKP station and the „New Market” and on the so-called Free Tracks. If they are well designed, the square and the whole complex will be a friendly place on the pedestrian route from the station to the city center.
