The concept of the new edifice of the Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw by the WXCA studio won third place in a competition organized by the university and the Wroclaw SARP. Among other things, the project was recognized for its "expressive form inscribed in the climate of downtown architecture."
The main goal of the studio was to create a space open to creativity
© WXCA
appeal to place
We wrote about the competition for the new building of the Eugeniusz Geppert Academy of Fine Arts in Wroclaw on our portal. The concept of the new WXCA edifice tries to refer to the space in which it is being built. The complex is located in the Oławskie Przedmieście, which is in the immediate vicinity of Wrocław's Old Town. The material referring to the close space is brick, evoking positive associations with the historic brick buildings of the district. The slope of the massing through subtle gradients is also meant to refer to the historic, irregular buildings full of post-industrial hangars or chimneys.
Fitting into the character of the district was key
© WXCA
The new edifice is intended to emphasize the Academy's role as an important focal point of the district. The northern façade will ultimately be the culmination of the view axis of Dobrzynska Street, which connects Traugutta Street with the planned Social Square. In such a layout, the newly designed building will strengthen the role of the new edifice as a cultural and social center.
creating creative space
Designing a building for the Academy of Fine Arts is a unique opportunity and a difficult task. The space must be open and create room for creativity. Artchitects from the WXCA studio opted for a simple, pragmatic block. They emphasize the role of regular, rhythmic openings that respond to the surrounding forms. These openings allow the building to relate to its surroundings. The compact massing refers to the massive brickwork and allows to optimize the amount of necessary infrastructure.
The brick is intended to be a distinguishing element of the building
© WXCA
Shaped in this way, the massing is meant to respond to the academy's representatives' expressed desire for constant exploration, departure from the usual patterns and an understanding between culture, science and art, says Anna Majewska-Karolak of WXCA, co-author of the project.
sustainable design
The seven-story building, which is designed to serve the academic community but can also, if the need arises in the future, be adapted for other purposes. The grid of columns in an orthogonal, three-bay layout allows free arrangement and division into regular spatial modules in the well-lit natural light peripheral tracts - intended for lecture halls, studios, offices, while in the central part of the plan - communication space.
building plan
© WXCA
It was important for the investor, as well as the designers, that the building be spatially and energy efficient, but also allow it to adapt to the specific conditions created by the university. The design of the building was to strive to limit heat loss and use adequate thermal insulation.
Flexibility, multifunctionality and adaptability to new needs are key design considerations for us to efficiently adapt the building's space to new functional challenges and respond to changes, as well as an aspect that determines its environmental performance, explains Michal Czerwinski
of WXCA, co-author of the project.
visualization of the edifice
© WXCA
developed by Wiktor Bochenek
