Bartosz Kuczyński, a student of architecture at the Wrocław University of Technology, in response to the needs of the citizens of Wrocław, decided to design a cultural center - Mediatheque, which could stand on Nowy Świat Street, right on the Odra River, just near the Old Town. The facility would include spaces for meetings and work, educational classes, organizing exhibitions, as well as a library and restaurant.
Thanks to the variety of functions performed, the Mediateka facility could be seen as an urban center for meetings, work, exchange of ideas and culture. The building, located vis-à-vis the Chair - a sculpture by Tadeusz Kantor, was made under the direction of Dr. Anna Berbesz during the fourth semester classes.
The Mediateka building is located right on the Odra River
© Bartosz Kuczynski
city center for culture and meetings
The project was created taking into account three assumptions - maximum use of the plot area, integration of the function and form with the downtown buildings, meeting the needs of different user groups. The created form is a visual continuation of the historic building line, and at the same time a background for the historic facades of the tenement houses and the University of Wroclaw building. By the dimensions and elevation material used, the building does not dominate the surroundings, but becomes an equally important part of it," explains Bartosz Kuczynski.
The main entrance is accented with a triangular cutout
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The body of the Mediateka is characterized by an opening at the first floor level, allowing to illuminate the interior. The opening also makes it possible to look inside, thus encouraging passersby to visit the Mediateka. The main entrance is accentuated by a triangular cutout in the curtain wall, referring to the "angular" shapes of the building. In addition, the author decided to withdraw the lines of the top floor, obtaining a significant roof space available to users and visually reducing the entire building. A large skylight illuminates the interior and marks the main hall of the building.
The façade is formed by a curtain wall imitating wagon weft
© Bartosz Kuczyński
elevation inspired by historic buildings
The structure of the Mediatheque is a reinforced concrete skeleton "covered" with an elevation wall. The façade was inspired by nearby important buildings. The immediate vicinity of the old hydroelectric power plant, the archaeological museum, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church, as well as other utilitarian and industrial buildings in the Wrocław skyline influenced the choice of elevation material - ceramics. Imitating the cart weft, the curtain wall not only creates an intimate and distinctive atmosphere inside the designed building, but also emphasizes the importance of the Mediateka as a cultural center as important to Wroclaw as the architecture around it, says the author.
A library is located on the second floor, and a viewing terrace has been placed on the roof of Mediateka
© Bartosz Kuczynski
library, conference rooms, coworking space
Bartosz Kuczynski's main idea was to meet the needs of the local community and, in a broader perspective, students and residents of Wroclaw as a whole. In addition to the library and its facilities, the building was equipped with conference and lecture rooms, capable of becoming a meeting place for neighborhood organizations and a forum for conversations between residents of the Center and Nadodrze. Its cultural function and proximity to universities influenced the addition of an open coworking zone to the program.
Currently, students looking for a place to study or group work in the city center are limited to only a few places (including the New Horizons cinema, the Barbara building and possibly various cafes). An open work zone would fill this gap and provide a counterbalance to private coworking spaces (such as the recently constructed Concordia building), the architect adds.
first floor plan of Mediateka
© Bartosz Kuczynski
restaurant, exhibitions, terrace with a view of Wroclaw
In the ground floor zone, to further connect the building with the urban fabric, the student proposed a restaurant with facilities. The dining room was located so that it also had a direct view of the exhibition zone and art installations. The building also includes thematic rooms, complementing the offer of Mediateka with the possibility of organizing educational classes or art workshops, as well as computer rooms.
In the ground floor there is also a restaurant
© Bartosz Kuczynski
The axis of communication is the main hall with a representative staircase, which also allows access to the roof terrace. The large outdoor space has been divided into several zones: an intimate one, sheltered by building blocks and openwork walls, and an open one, equipped with a stage and a biologically active surface. This area can host outdoor music events with a view of the Wroclaw skyline and the Oder River. There are also pots on the roof with shrubs, grasses and small trees providing shade. The building, with the help of elevators, has been adapted for people with disabilities.
The axis of communication is the main hall illuminated by a skylight
© Bartosz Kuczynski
open space
The proposed facility is a cultural center aimed at a wide range of users. It will benefit the local community, as well as students, young people, children, organizations and private companies looking for conference spaces, and even tourists. Unlike other nearby structures with similar uses, it is not a closed facility accessible only to a few. It is an open place, inviting everyone to enter and enjoy what it offers, and thus fits in with the city's motto: Wroclaw - a city of meetings," concludes Bartosz Kuczynski.
