office white

The designed structure of the building is a compact form consisting of two rectangular prisms overlaid on each other, closely aligned in plan dimensions, rotated 90 degrees relative to each other, and additionally shifted. The breakdown of the uniform rectangular prism emphasizes a different function for the ground floor compared to the first and second floors. Furthermore, these two volumes are distinguished by the finishing of the facades. The ground floor features a glass surface reflecting the surrounding greenery, housing office spaces and facilities. The first and second floors have a uniform, snow-white facade made of laminated panels, accommodating a clothing showroom. To maintain a cohesive appearance, the windows will be covered with panels of perforated sheet metal. This approach ensures a consistent, monolithic look during the day for the compact volumes of the first and second floors. At night, when the internal lights are on, an irregular pattern on the facade will appear, fitting into a repeatable module with a one-meter axis spacing.

The gradient applied on the glass facades along with perforations is intended to evoke associations with semi-transparent materials or lace used in clothing. The entire building is kept in a single color, namely snow-white. The glass facade of the ground floor, through a white gradient diminishing towards the bottom, harmonizes chromatically with the other floors. To contrast the monochromatic vertical surfaces, the eaves and their soffits, inspired by the inner sides of clothing, have obtained a vibrant color similar to the shade of copper. This color is only visible when the observer approaches the building, continuing the reference to clothing, concealing a portion of the surface, revealing it only up close.

These measures aim to create a distinctive building silhouette with a modest range of expressive means. The building is intended to give the impression of being neutral to its surroundings while simultaneously being unconventional and expressive. The form itself refers to its immediate environment, which consists of office buildings with glass facades, as well as simple production and warehouse or workshop facilities.

Design: 2019/20;

Completed 2021/23;

Usable Area: Approx. 1500m2;

Location: Jasień, Gdańsk, Poland;

Author: Andrzej Niegrzybowski