Junior Highschool with cultural and sports complex, Białołęka
Location
Van Gogh Street, Warsaw — Białołęka
Investor
Municipality of Warsaw
Design team
Tomasz Konior
Tomasz Danielec
Andrzej Witkowski
Mateusz Biskupek
Paweł Gruszka
Mariusz Okrajek
Area
7 713 m2
Volume
49 600 m3
Project
2003
Realization
2005
Rewards
Nagroda główna w konkursie Polski Cement w Architekturze 2006
Nagroda Roku SARP 2005 — najlepszy budynek ze środków publicznych
Ikony Architektury — 20 najlepszych realizacji w Polsce po roku 1989
I nagroda w Międzynarodowym Konkursie Młodych Architektów „Leonardo 2007” w kategorii Obiekt Użyteczności Publicznej
Description
The building is situated on the bank of the Vistula River, not far from a densely populated residential area. It is surrounded by lush green areas, mapped out in typical parkland style. The aim of the concept was the harmonious fusion of both the structure and the surrounding area as well as the coalescence of a wide variety of different functions in one venue. Among these functions are the school and the cultural centre. The building's most characteristic design element is its long, brick facade. Its soft, undulating line seamlessly blends in with the natural environment. Behind the facade, in the northern part of the complex, we find the cultural centre with its oval-shaped theatre hall, library and the sports centre situated on the site's western part. The southern fragment, separated by a two-storey gallery, houses the classroom blocks and school workshops, designed in a parallel arrangement and separated by recreational grounds, whose external walls are build with the use of grey concrete and glass. The design left the green areas of the site untouched, opening it onto the Vistula's green banks. All of the functions, despite existing independently from each other, compose a cohesive whole joined by a two-storey assembly hall, which ensures good access to and through the site and can facilitate a number of various celebrations, meetings, sport events and recreational activities. The area of assembly hall is lit with three oval skylights, which produce a unique atmosphere inside the building by introducing a kaleidoscope of light and architectural form.
