Atelier Starzak Strebicki

Didactic building of the University of Warsaw on the upper courtyard

The campus design on the site of the former printing house is a rectangular block topped with a gable roof. We wanted to continue the current urban fabric, which is why the new space does not conflict with the existing scale, but harmoniously refers to it and maintains continuity. The facade is made of prefabricated reinforced concrete vertical elements, and between them, there’re large windows introducing natural light into space. We proposed a three-zone arrangement of functions. The ground floor creates a comprehensive whole with the outer courtyard and smoothly opens the border between the outer and inner function of space. On the first floor, we have placed office rooms. Thanks to glazing, they do not lose relations with public space, but at the same time allow to create a more intimate atmosphere for work. To meet the needs for human interaction, and also the creation of informal meeting places, the basement serves as a public auditorium and a workshop space. Thanks to the open composition, the basement is connected with the smooth transition to the ground floor. There located rooms are exposed to the natural light which passes through spacious windows on the zero levels. Around the building, there are circulation areas found in the form of ramps, stairs and elevators. Thanks to the entrances located in different places, the new building guarantees access from all sides.