Mennica Legacy Tower, a new landmark on the Warsaw skyline
Goettsch Partners
Office&Business
/
Completed
The Mennica Legacy Tower complex, part of a newly approved master plan for development in the CBD of Warsaw, is divided into a 35-story tower on the southeast side of the site and a smaller 10-story building on the west side. The development features approximately 80,000 square meters of Class A office space, including a conference center, fitness center and ground-level retail, as well as four levels of underground parking and ancillary services. Large, public open spaces around and between the two structures provide outdoor seating and a variety of landscape features.
The overall massing and shape of the complex was guided by the local master plan. More than 60% of the site is dedicated to outdoor public areas, exceeding the plan guidelines. 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 podium and ground-floor levels of the complex feature building amenities, retail frontage, and highly transparent lobby spaces that promote an active pedestrian passage between the two buildings. The rounded corners of the building masses draw activity and movement into the main pedestrian passageway, which connects large, publicly accessible plazas on the south and northwest ends of the site. This connection anchors the development within the urban fabric of the city and creates a vibrant destination.
The main tower features rounded corners on the northeast and southwest sides that help to reduce the visible length of the east and west facades; on the opposite corners, the 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, defining the complex as a landmark. The southeast corner, in particular, steps in three-floor increments outward 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 integrates roof terraces into the overall massing. The textured, saw-toothed facades give the enclosure an ever-changing appearance as one moves around the building.
Inside, 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-square-meter tower floor plate provides an almost column-free space with 11- to 13-meter lease spans and a 1.35-meter 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. Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Warsaw
Poland
Golub GetHouse, Mennica Polska S.A.
11/2020
115000 sq. m
Goettsch Partners, Epstein (Architect of Record and Structural/MEP Engineer)
Goettsch Partners, Epstein (Architect of Record and Structural/MEP Engineer)
Warbud S.A
One Lux
Aluprof
Sebastian Deptuła, Anatomia Formy
Curriculum
Goettsch Partners (GP) is an architecture firm with a global perspective. Based in Chicago, with additional offices in Shanghai and Abu Dhabi, the firm brings a singular approach to design that combines seasoned experience with a passion for exploration and innovation. Completed projects span five continents and represent a diverse range of types and sizes. Every project design begins with multiple concepts that are evaluated for intrinsic value, constructability and environmental impact. GP projects share a consistent visual language of bold clarity that celebrates highly crafted technical solutions delivering optimal performance. Visit www.gpchicago.com for more information.
