MVRDV complete cascading mixed-use complex in Poznan
by Kim Megson | 02 Jun 2017
– Nathalie de Vries, MVRDV co-founder
Work has been completed on MVRDV’s latest eye-catching mixed-use building; an irregular tower block in the heart of Poznan, Poland.
Baltyk is a 16-storey linear structure with a concrete, entirely glass-fronted façade and clearly exposed aggregate grain. The unusual form means it changes its shape depending on the side it is approached from.
The majority of the 25,000sq m (270,000sq ft) building is dedicated to office space, but there is also a 750sq m (8,000sq ft) panoramic restaurant, a hotel, a gym, a jazz club and a retail zone on the first two floors.
"When we came to Poznan for the first time, the goal was clear – we were to realise a representative office building with public functions on the first two layers and at the top,” said Nathalie de Vries, MVRDV co-founder.
“We wanted to offer the best possibilities for both users and everybody else around. We realised that if we could control the footprint of the building, we were able to create more public space.
“So we responded by adding diagonal shapes, usable by the office workers as terraces. The result is a thin building that is very different from all four sides. It’s slim towards the top to create a more tower-like feeling, but still respective of the neighbourhood height restrictions.”
The form was designed to contrast with both the traditional architecture in Poznan's nearby Haven Square and the modernist heritage of Marek Leykam neighbouring Okraglak (Rotunda) building.
MVRDV worked on the project with NO Natkaniec/Olechnicki Architekci.
The Dutch firm has worked on a number of high-profile mixed-use projects; most famously Rotterdam's Markthal. They are currently developing the Paradise City entertainment and casino complex in Seoul, South Korea; a cultural and education hub in Zaandstad, the Netherlands; and a vast sports and cultural complex in Shenzhen, China, which will be navigated via a weaving elevated walkway.
MVRDV Poznan Poland Baltyk architecture design
The building is slimmer towards the top and respective of neighbourhood height restrictions Credit: Ossip van Duivenbode
The building responds to the site's history and is located where the Old Baltyk Cinema existed Credit: Ossip van Duivenbode
A slope of cascading patios offer social outdoor spaces Credit: Ossip van Duivenbode
The building is a new landmark for Poznan, Poland Credit: Ossip van Duivenbode
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FEATURE: In conversation – MVRDV’S Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Nathalie de Vries
Work has been completed on MVRDV’s latest eye-catching mixed-use building; an irregular tower block in the heart of Poznan, Poland. Baltyk is a 16-storey linear structure with a concrete, entirely glass-fronted façade and clearly exposed aggregate grain. The unusual form means it changes its shape depending on the side it is approached from. The majority of the 25,000sq m (270,000sq ft) building is dedicated to office space, but there is
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