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Architects: eM4.Pracownia Architektury.Brataniec
- Area: 1623 m²
- Year: 2017
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Photographs:Juliusz Sokołowski, Marcin Brataniec
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Manufacturers: Hunter Douglas Architectural (Europe), Sika, Aluprof, CONSOLIS, Concreate, Dorma, Hunter Douglas, Linit, MONOLIT, Otis, PESMENPOL, Thorn
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Lead Architect: Marcin Brataniec
Text description provided by the architects. This gesture is both powerful and delicate. Instead of the anticipated courtyard development, we proposed demolishing the old too-small hall and the additions that have accrued over the years. Building a new hall in their place, preserves and unambiguously closes the courtyard, between the school, the playing fields, and the street.
A strong perpendicular block, built into an already living structure, is absorbed by it. The facade is not a hard division of space, it reacts with its surroundings - the courtyard penetrates the hall through high glazing, the wooden facade becomes a terrace, pitches climb up the facade, the roof of the locker room becomes an auditorium for school games and provides a chance to see inside the hall.
The game continues inside. The hall, level layout, and staircase with a new elevator allow access to the pool from the school and lead to its previously hard-to-reach floors. The movement is complemented by a play of glances. The hall floor overlooks the water of the pool and the movement in the gym upstairs, the climbing wall looks out over the arena audience.
The background is toned down to accommodate the colorful and spontaneous life of the school. The raw concrete of the walls and floors, light natural wood, and steel dominate. Carefully dosed color helps connect the spaces. Signs, plaques, a painted railing, and selected walls, direct you to places, the dark blue floor of the hall flows toward the water in the swimming pool.
Continuity is also maintained in the realm of habits. Previous activities have found a more comfortable place in the new spaces. A large hall replaced the small one, training rooms from the annexes have moved into the new building, the fitness room could be darkened and become a room for the school's drama club. The new hall built into the existing structure became the connecting tissue.
