Mennica Legacy Tower marks GP’s first completed project in Poland. The Mennica Legacy Tower was developed by an affiliate of Golub & Company LLC and Mennica Towers GGH MT Sp z o o S.K.A, and delivered in collaboration with Epstein, a design firm with offices in Chicago and Warsaw.
The Master Plan
Located at the intersection of Prosta and Zelazna streets in the CBD, both the 35-story and 10-story office buildings open to a landscape plaza with a pedestrian walkway that sits between them. The development is divided into the taller main tower on the east side of the site and the smaller building on the west side.
The 115,000-sm two-building office area is anchored by one of Poland’s largest institutions, mBank, and co-working provider WeWork. The development is part of a newly approved plan in the CBD of Warsaw, and consists of 80,000-sm of Class-A office space, a conference center, fitness center, ground-level retail, and four levels of underground parking and ancillary services.
More Than An Office Complex
A huge part of the local master plan was to make sure there were outdoor areas dedicated to the public where people can sit and enjoy different landscape features. More than 60% of the area is specifically dedicated to this. The stepped arrangement of the two buildings, as well as the sculpted, sloped top of the tower, specifically respond to requirements that allow daylight into adjacent residential buildings.
“The project is much more than a signature new office complex,” says James Goettsch, FAIA, chairman and co-CEO at GP, in a release. “Integrally connected to its central urban plaza, the development creates a unique ‘sense of place’ that enhances the public realm of Warsaw.”
Unique Profile & Features
Rounded corners on the main tower’s northeast and southeast sides help reduce the visible length of the east and west facades. On the opposite corners, the lower tower incorporates a strong, vertical edge.
The southeast and northwest corners are each further distinguished by a vertical recess that breaks up the building’s mass and introduces a dominant feature. The southeast corner, in particular, steps outward in three-floor increments as it rises, opening the recess to the sky and creating a dynamic profile that becomes a glowing beacon at night. A sloping screen wall at the building’s top enhances the profile, and the textured, saw-toothed facades give the enclosure an ever-changing appearance as one moves around the building.
Attention To Detail
A three-story lobby with a cable-supported enclosure utilizes a transparent glazing that blurs the boundary between interior and exterior space. The tower core is clad with large stone slabs that accentuate the solid mass of the core, in contrast to the lightness of the building’s lobby. The 2,000-sm tower floor plate provides an almost column-free space with 11- to 13-m lease spans and a 1.35-m planning grid.
The complex’s triple-glazed, high-performance facade with integrated operable panels supplies fresh air to occupants and combines state-of-the-art building enclosure technology with an appealing aesthetic. Large landscaped outdoor terraces on the fifth level of the main tower and the eighth level of the west building provide exterior amenity spaces with sweeping views that engage the city.
“The tower’s unique profile helps define it as a city landmark,” says Joachim Schuessler, GP Design Principal, in a release. “Its stepped, curved façade further distinguishes it in the skyline from all angles.”
Related Stories
Modular Building | Jun 10, 2015
London debuts business complex made from 50 shipping containers
London's newest business complex, Pop Brixton, will support local entrepreneurs, create jobs, and is made entirely of shipping containers.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Bjarke Ingels unveils stepped design for final WTC tower
The towering "staircase" will rise from St. Paul’s chapel to the skyline, leaning against One World Trade Center.
Office Buildings | Jun 9, 2015
Hines planning $300 million office tower for Denver skyline
Designed by Pickard Chilton, the 640,000-sf tower is geared for large-scale tenants, with features like floor-to-ceiling glass, a 5,000-sf fitness center, a tenant lounge, and a series of outdoor terraces.
Office Buildings | Jun 3, 2015
Tech's influence on the workplace: 4 lessons from the field
Beyond space and programmatic considerations, four tenets highlight today’s tech workplaces: strength of story, design empathy, technology presence, and hackerspace.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
SHoP Architects unveils dual-glass-box scheme for Uber HQ
The plan involves two glass buildings connected with criss-crossing bridges.
Office Buildings | Jun 1, 2015
Can you make a new building as cool as a warehouse?
Just as we looked at that boarded up warehouse and thought it could be something other, office towers can be reborn, writes CannonDesign's Robert Benson.
Multifamily Housing | May 28, 2015
Census Bureau: 10 U.S. cities now have one million people or more
California and Texas each have three of the one-million-plus cities.
Retail Centers | May 18, 2015
ULI forecast sees clear skies for real estate over next three years
With asset availability declining in several sectors, rents and transactions should rise.
Office Buildings | May 18, 2015
New ASHRAE standard offers test method to determine heat gain of office equipment
The standard will aid engineers in configuring cooling systems in office buildings.
Office Buildings | May 17, 2015
Mountain View, Calif., denies development rights for Google campus master plan
Despite Google’s offer of new bike paths, wetlands restoration, and other perks, the city of Mountain View, Calif., denied the company the development rights to construct a grand new headquarters.
