MVRDV’s designs for offices and retail spaces in Łódź introduces a contemporary design to the third city of Poland. The 31,000m2,  13-floor high building integrates to its newly developed surroundings with a distinct glazed brick and glass façade, surrounding a new plaza. The project was commissioned by J.J Invest. It will break ground this summer and will be completed in 2020.  

Located in the centre of Łódź across the street from the newly developed railway station “Fabryczna” and in proximity to the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and Lodzki Dom Kultury (Culture House), Fabryczna Offices draws inspiration from the city’s distinct industrial textile heritage reimagined for contemporary use. The 31,000m2 glass and glazed-brick mixed-use building is one of the latest developments for Łódź’s New City Centre and will include 27,000m2 of offices spread over thirteen floors and 4,000m2 of retail on the ground floor, with a courtyard designed by Dutch firm Lola Landscape Architects.

“This building will help to bring back more density and urbanity right in the heart of Łódź ,” explains Nathalie de Vries, co-founder of MVRDV. “We have created with our design an ensemble with a tower, referring in proportions to the past in mansions of the industrials, surrounding a new public court. The specially designed glazed-brick façade, with a colour scheme which blends from red to metallic grey, refers both to the past and the city’s future ambition.”

The building has a distinct envelope given the strict instructions for a 4-storey plinth, respecting the outline of the plot and at the same time, allowing for a tower height of up to 55 meters. The plinth is a band of retail spaces on the ground floor with offices above and a depth that allows for maximum daylight into all floors. The rounded plinth and tower are curved to create a series of smaller volumes which gives the project a more intimate scale and also provides a more individual identity to future tenants. The courtyard has an opening towards the culture centre and a passage towards Kilinskiego Street with the intention to introduce a new walking route through the area, meaning the tower is welcoming to those passing by. The private green roof and public courtyard by Lola landscape architects are designed as a family of semi-public spaces with greenery, a large variety of vegetation and spaces for terraces and bikes. In future, Fabryczna offices will connect to the Central station and other parts of the city through an underground tunnel.

MVRDV are working with co-architects Piotr Bilinski Architects, WSP for all technical advisory work, Essox façade consultants, Gress for real estate services and LOLA Landscape Architect on the design of the public space and roof garden.

Fabryczna Offices is the second project of MVRDV in Poland, following last year’s completion of Baltyk, Poznan. Construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2018 with a completion date set for 2020.