Wroclaw’s architecture is continuously revitalised. The capital of the historic region of Silesia has been focusing on the reactivation of the city centre for years. Now, this process is also advancing into the industrial estate (Wrocławski Park Przemysłowy) in the western part of the old town (Stare Miasto), which is developing more and more into a modern business district because of the investments made so far. The latest addition to this is the Diamentum Office, a modern office building that could turn out to be a flagship for the area thanks to its striking exterior.
Functional floor plan, aesthetic exterior
The property on Robotnicza-Street inspired the architects of Cavatina Holding, which specializes primarily in office buildings and acts as builder for this project, to come up with an unusual design. Even though the classic floor plan retains the extremely practical square shape, the building appears much more angular from the outside: the facade facing the street has many crystal-like surfaces, resembling the facets of a diamond. This makes the building both functional and aesthetic.
Revitalisation rather than expansion
Maciej Lulko / Aluprof
“The properties we design are mainly located on industrial estates,” explains Piotr Jasiński, architect and head of the design department at Cavatina Holding. “For this purpose, planning aspects are of special importance: building laws, the neighbourhood – everything that surrounds us. The historical style of a building or the need for its renovation during the extension must be taken into account as well. Personally, I enjoy working on such projects. Polish cities are relatively large in terms of area and are developing expansively. In my opinion, we should first and foremost concentrate on densifying development, ensure effective use of existing space, breathe new life into them and give them back to the residents.”
Sturdy construction
Contemporary architecture is characterised especially by glass facade and clear lines. At the same time, a certain level of thermal insulation should be guaranteed, which often complicates the construction of such buildings. This is important both in winter, when the cold should not creep in through the windows, and in summer, when the air-conditioning of the interior must work despite direct sunlight. An unsuitable facade can therefore increase energy consumption considerably and make the entire ventilation system inefficient.
Here is another building that is diamond-shaped: The Qatar National Library
For the Diamentum Office the PL version of the MB-SR50N system from Aluprof was used, which is meant for the construction of light curtain walls as well as skylights and other elements. The thin struts make the front view of the building look geometrical with their vertical lines. From the inside, on the other hand, the mullion and transom profiles blend in with the rest of the facade. In addition, the Aluprof mullion-transom walls provide fire protection by not letting the fire spread, which is certified by the fire classification mark NRO. Furthermore, the MB-70 system windows provide excellent thermal insulation properties and energy efficiency thanks to a special insulation in the profiles. In a modern office building on a busy street sound insulation plays an important role as well, which is achieved through the Aluprof system. Due to its versatile designs, the window system has another crucial advantage, as Jasiński points out: “In our projects, we always try to ensure ventilation of fresh air from outside. This is accomplished by installing bottom-hung windows in the facade, which can be opened by the occupants, giving them a sense of security and convenience.”
