Idea
Instead of demolishing the existing hall on the plot and constructing a new building (perhaps with better technical parameters, more refined function and more attractive elevations), we decided to adapt the existing building for new purposes. This was, in our opinion, a much more justifiable move both economically and ecologically.
We also wanted the interior of the part used by the investor to be connected to the owner in an interesting way. The idea emerged during a visit to a warehouse intended for redevelopment. Unexpectedly, the inspiration came not from the investor's company but from his leisure interests. Our client turned out to be a great fan of motorisation and the hall served as a temporary garage for the old cars he collected and renovated himself. It was this hobby that became the pretext for creating a space that is a combination of work and leisure.
Photos: Jeremi Buczkowski
Function
All the rooms in the office open up through a glass wall to a hall with parking spaces for the investor's favourite car models. This is not just a garage with exhibits to look at, but also a workshop equipped with a jack, tool and parts cupboards and a fume extraction system. If necessary, the offices can be visually separated from the hall by sliding curtains.
When the idea of combining an office with a garage-workshop was born, the aesthetics became clear: the building should look like a technical or parking space. Hence the leitmotif became a graphic pattern evoking ? associations ? diagonal yellow-graphite stripes.
The interior graphics spill over onto the façade of the building. The two-coloured stripes order the façade, announcing what awaits inside. On the outside, the building has also been given a reinforced concrete canopy, which connects all the entrances, making it possible to move comfortably between the parts of the building even when it rains. Halfway up the façade, the canopy turns into a flowerbed with a bench and covers a dustbin.
The rest of the task consisted in designing a common area with a staircase for the area intended for rent, and the precise positioning of installations so that this space (about 600m2) could be logically divided or left open, depending on the needs of the tenants.
