Concordia Design Wrocław

MVRDV completes Concordia Design Wrocław, transforming a heritage building into a dynamic creative hotspot

MVRDV has completed construction of Concordia Design, a mixed use building containing co-working spaces, an event venue, a food hall, a café, and a rooftop terrace on Słodowa Island in Wrocław, Poland. The project is a renovation and extension of a 19th-century listed building, retaining the façade of the existing building and adding a contemporary extension to create a focal point for the neighbouring park and a destination that will enhance the experience of the island for visitors.

Słodowa Island has a complex and important history – the existing building is the only structure that remained on the island following the Siege of Breslau in World War 2 – but the island has also become a meeting place for the city’s dynamic youth and its forward-thinking creative culture. With Concordia Design Wrocław, the aim was to respect both these features of the location, resulting in a building with no ‘backside’ that opens up to visitors in both directions.

The design is thus influenced by depictions of Janus, the Roman deity of transitions, time, and duality. The form and interior layout of the building displays a certain symmetry, with triple-height stepped voids at the entrances on each end of the building. However, within this symmetry there are clear distinctions between the “formal” end of the building, featuring the retained façade of the historic building, and the new addition. On the formal end, the entrance space hosts the café and exposed brick walls from the original building.

The informal end of the building faces the park and hosts the food hall. Reflecting the energy given to the park by the city’s young people, this end of the building is transparent, modern, and inviting, with a three-storey glass wall that opens up to the park revealing a large mural by Polish artist Alicja Biała. The main theme of her work is slow pace, respect for everyday life, deceleration, and contact with nature. Realistic characters are depicted side by side with imaginary creatures.

“One of the most interesting aspects of Wrocław is the city’s busy public realm and use of the riversides. As the heart of this outdoor activity, Słodowa Island is a unique and fascinating place”, says MVRDV founding partner Nathalie de Vries. “Concordia Design’s Wrocław combination of a historic structure, a vibrant mixture of creative and exciting businesses, and new attractions working in harmony with the island’s public space will cement Słodowa Island’s reputation as the place to be in Wrocław.”

The design of the extension is respectful to the existing building, continuing its roofline. The window openings on the extension match those on the historic façade, becoming wider and more transparent closer to the informal end of the building. Besides the café and food hall in the entrance spaces, the rest of the 4500m2 building hosts co-working office spaces, while the uppermost floor features an open-air terrace, protected by glass walls on all sides, providing views onto the city.

“Together with MVRDV, we wanted to create a democratic space that would integrate different groups of residents”, says Ewa Voelkel-Krokowicz, CEO Concordia Design. “We tried to understand the unique character of the place, its history and potential. Both creative communities and young businesses will find their place here – and on the other hand, everyone who wants to spend their free time in a well-designed space, looking for interesting events. From the very beginning, our goal was to keep Słodowa Island open. Concordia has a chance to combine this potential with new needs and attract new users.”

Concordia Design Wrocław is designed for Concordia Design, in cooperation with the local architect Q2.

Wyspa Słodowa is quite unique spot on Wroclaw’s plan. For years it has been a centre of various events organized, independently, with help of local visual artists and musicians. Concordia Design building, conjured by the brilliant minds of MVRDV only fleshes out that uniqueness.

To arrange one of the most demanding parts of the building - void (the undercut), the Investor asked for help none other than mode:lina™ designers.

Our prime goal was to keep the idea of architecture’s complete immersion, while at the same time leaving enough space for comfy, intimate spaces for various meetings, informal gatherings and work - Paweł Garus, architect and co-owner in mode:lina™.

A big void (undercut) is a space, widely open in every direction, where both interior and flora outside flow within each other. Grand mural created by Alicja Biała is the perfect testament to that openness and a compliment to Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel.

Outstanding height of the room, three enormous glazed facades and monumental mural on the ceiling are key space-defining elements that, at the same time, impose many limits. Interior arrangement should in no way be simple embellishment or rival architecture itself, it’s task is to fill in the gaps left by it - Jerzy Woźniak, architect and co-owner in mode:lina™

Effortless forms created by mode:lina™ paved the way for balanced interiors that perfectly supplement the scale of existing architecture. Hidden in smaller arrangements of each and every zone are all possible scenarios that guests are welcome to play out. In the new space of the restaurant all elements: lights, textures, colors and shapes skilfully interact with one another.

Open space of the building's big restaurant was divided into smaller cubicles using tall plants and individually designed furniture. “Void” was filled with high legged tables with an integrated lightning system, smaller tables with specific construction and freely flowing curtains from the metal hangers, all making space more intimate and cosy. What’s even more important is that it’s easily moveable, allowing for reorganising space in the spirit of any scheduled event.

Central space is occupied by a vast bar in the form of an easily accessible island. It is of great importance especially during summers, as the facade encompasses a set of wide doors that are fully opened during that season. Steel construction of the bar not only allows for keeping and presenting a wide variety of liquor, but also invites all-surrounding nature inside.

Back wall is closed off by the big dining section, which under the brand of SLODOWA presents guests with a broad selection that absolutely every “foodie” will adore. It’s central part is mainly composed of black tiles, which in turn is supported by perforated plate in the back and the wall that are a smooth continuation of the mural. Achieved color mapping clearly organizes space for three independent gastronomical concepts, each having its’ assigned color alluding to the mural above them.

Open terrace on the top floor of the Concordia Design is the great extension of the gastronomic concept down below. It’s focal points - enormous bar, in shape mirroring the one in the Void and big seatings imitating stadium-like tribunes, made from plywood with overprinted bits of Alicia Biała’s mural. Designers loosely referenced seaside resorts both material wise for the bar and in catalogue’s furniture character.