After changes to the local plan, the time came for an act of radical design. Closing off the block with a wall-stage for urban activities, we rather dramatically dissected the body of the building in search of a better distribution of the masses. The homogeneous façade, perforated by alternating portcullis openings and black-lined loggia recesses, is topped by an openwork of roof pergolas. A terrace overlooking the river and the urban skyline, freely accessible to all residents, enhances the uniqueness of the location, while the ground floor with commercial premises provides a base for the much-anticipated city-making functions.

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The consciously reductionist approach to this quarter was an attempt to find a formula for affordable housing with the best possible urban parameters. The building was designed as two modules on a common garage slab. The distribution of the flats made it possible to create an inner courtyard, partly connected with the ground level by a gentle slope. The semi-private space created in this way was enriched with greenery and recreational functions. The entire area is separated from the road by a pergola with bicycle racks, utility boxes and a service module, which makes the concept homogenous and complete. Simple balconies lend a tectonic effect to the blocks.

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We were yet again faced with the task of designing onto urban fabric that once existed here. Two blocks were separated by an extension of Dubois Street. The first one was given the form of a solid residential block with floors shifted with respect to each other, which visually conceals the actual mass of the building. The other one is a coherent urban complement with an internal pedestrian street. They share a single entrance gate and courtyard raised to the +1 level, with a reinforced concrete terrace overhanging the river. All this to achieve clear spatial zoning with perimeter development. This project is about contemporary urban density.

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The building, part of Promenady Wrocławskie housing estate, has the structure of an urban quarter and two dominant features. The façade composition is based on a rigorous arrangement of rectangular openings that reflect the modular functional layout. The grey ceramic cladding on the façade highlights the consistency of the design. The minimalist character of the interiors is enhanced by the clear separation of the office premises with cubicles along the middle passageway, and aesthetically – by the application of a limited range of solutions throughout the building and selection of finishing materials in line with the industrial character of the complex.

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At the edge of a village there was a partially converted barn. We studied with fascination the unplanned morphology of the many outbuildings building a new, post-war identity. We decided to follow this lead and explore the subsequent layers and shapes. What emerged in the end was a polypore functioning in symbiosis with the semi-wild landscape. The colour of the natural shingle, which patinates rather quickly, blended with the weathered clinker brick to create a new relationship. In this way, we attempted to overwrite the typology of the charming Lower Silesian countryside.

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The STC building consists of a base with the height of the surrounding development and a dominant feature for which no restrictions were imposed by the plans. The tower section accentuates the opening in the corridor of Piłsudskiego Street and signals the presence of the railway station forecourt. The body was divided into modules, slightly twisted in relation to the vertical axis in order to obtain a dynamic that strengthens the impression of slenderness. This solution improved the daylight illumination of the neighbouring buildings.

The STC building contains a set of services reviving this part of the hitherto infamous Przedmieście Oławskie district and represents another step towards its revitalisation.

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The entire functional structure of the adapted depot was subordinated to the target model, in which the two free-standing buildings function as a single complex and the main entrance is located along the axis of the multifunctional square gently descending below ground level. Thanks to this model it was possible to preserve the spatial autonomy of the depot and restore its architectural shell back to its glory, with only discreet signals of a change of use. The museum is an opportunity for the entire district, creating a new public space and building the identity of this previously industrial part of the city.

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An essential component of our work in architecture is experience. It provides us with invaluable knowledge needed to discuss the contemporary urban biotope. Instead of resorting to fashionable newspeak, we prefer to observe real processes of rehabilitation of places and communities. To rejoice when our courtyard, restored through joint work and equipped with new urban furniture, integrates people, and to grieve and doubt when we find the terrace in disarray on a Monday morning. We believe, however, that this coexistence brings us closer to understanding the phenomenon of the modern city.

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It happened fast: the city’s far-sighted decision to hand the site over to the Chamber of Architects, EU grants, a quick reconstruction project and construction within five months. There were more questions than answers: about the precise location, details, colour. Laborious work with a conservation officer brought a reward – the discovery of an original paddling pool.

And thus a new home of architecture was created – a permanent address that is an integral part of the local government’s raison d’être. And with it, activities: meetings, lectures, workshops and youth exhibitions. But that’s another story altogether.