extension of Fine Art Academy

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Honorable mention in a two-stage competition for a new educational and administrative building within the campus of the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław

The area around Traugutta Street, along with the neighboring Plac Społeczny, reflects the multi-layered changes not only in the history of the border between the Old Town and Przedmieście Oławskie but also in the very approach to that history. The lost character of places commonly referred to as "gaps in the city" is difficult to capture, yet the attempt to seize it holds the potential to transform into the unique identity of the designed building. Through an analysis of the site, the main guiding idea for the concept of the new Academy of Fine Arts campus development quickly became something obvious yet unconventional: the fusion of contrasts, which constitutes the only constant element of the surrounding space.

The attempt to translate this "fusion of contrasts" into the architectural design language was reflected in a hybrid of solid and transparent structures. By day, the complex may appear as a complete monolith, with only carefully crafted details repeated like a mantra across the façade, reminiscent of the surrounding 19th-century tenement houses, sometimes seen now only in old photographs. However, after sunset, a play of lights and colors may begin, revealing the building's inner, "liberated" form.

FACADE AS A COHESIVE SHELL UNITING BUILDINGS

A light, transparent layer has been designed to seamlessly integrate Buildings D1, D2, and D3 in a way that unifies their overarching function as part of the Academy of Fine Arts while simultaneously highlighting the unique character of their individual functions. The external facade also serves a protective purpose—shielding from wind, excessive sunlight, and street noise.

CONCEPT OF A FIXED EXTERNAL FACADE

The transparent, partially openable panels made of perforated metal sheets are mounted to form a loose yet visibly uniform composition for all the buildings' exteriors. This composition is directly connected to the nature of the functions housed behind the facade and the changing environmental conditions. The panel compositions can be systematic but may also be used to encode an artistic message for both the surroundings and users. The wavy line of the grid symbolizes a loose brushstroke, referring to the refined nature of art as something both constant and evolving. The facade of Building D1 features minimal recesses in the main structure, primarily emphasizing the entrance area and the guest zone located on the top floor. The openable sections of the external structure placed near the windows allow for additional control of sunlight and transparency. The ground-floor panels, designed to be openable, are planned to be sliding, while the upper-level panels will be accordion-style, in both even and odd numbers of segments (for odd-numbered segments, the last panel will slide behind the accordion). The external facade structure on the north and south sides is designed to accommodate green walls with planters placed on each floor's substructure. The cutouts, similar to the wavy panel design, should follow a scattered arrangement according to the facade drawings. These cutouts aim to allow greenery to grow through the panels, which will ultimately form the interior walls of the gardens for Buildings D2 and D3. The ground-floor panels on the northern and southern facades, which will eventually connect with Buildings D2 and D3, are designed to be removable and reused in the new facade walls of D2 and D3.

CONCEPT OF A VARIABLE INTERNAL FACADE

The arrangement of glazing, creating a loose, varying composition depending on the buildings, is directly related to the nature of the functions behind the facade and environmental factors. The use of solid walls is closely tied to the nature of the rooms, but the facade design does not rigidly adhere to specific rules for window placement, even though the size of the openings is directly dictated by their function. The ground floor of Building D1, facing the park, is almost fully glazed, promoting integration with the surroundings and providing a view into spaces like the gallery connected to the entrance hall and the large-scale object workshop, which itself may serve as a gallery of ongoing artistic work. The glazing above the ground floor is designed as loosely scattered window-paintings, suspended between the floor and ceiling. The arrangement of windows, particularly in the studios, is designed to prevent damage to the glazing from rolling objects and to allow the installation of additional interior blinds without interfering with the window space. For the facade and window system, as well as for the external structure and perforated metal sheets, recycled aluminum is planned to be used.

Team:

Marta Dąbrowska, Dagmara Żarnowiec, Visualisations: Tomasz Banaszek

Organiser:

Eugeniusz Geppert Art Academy in Wrocław & SARP Wrocław (Association of Polish Architects, Wrocław Branch)

The competition in Stage I covered a study phase, aimed at determining the development directions for the eastern frontage of the Academy of Fine Arts campus on Romualda Traugutta Street and the potential for future possible construction. Stage II involved a detailed concept for the educational and administrative building, taking into account the established spatial relationships between the buildings on the Academy of Fine Arts campus.