MVRDV's shapeshifting bałtyk tower in poznań appears to change with your vantage point

MVRDV has completed its first project in poland, a mixed-used development named ‘bałtyk’ that primarily includes office space in addition retail outlets housed within its lower floors. located in poznań, a historic city on the warta river in western poland, the tower’s distinct appearance is defined by a pixelated concrete façade that appears to change shape depending on where it is viewed from.

all images by ossip van duivenbode

MVRDV, who developed the project alongside natkaniec olechnicki architekci, took inspiration from the gridded appearance of poznań’s ‘okrąglak’ building completed by marek leykam in 1949. ‘bałtyk’, a project that has been six years in the making, includes 12,000 square meters of office space in addition to a 750 sqm restaurant with a one room hotel, and a 1,350 sqm retail plinth. the scheme also contains three levels of underground parking.

‘bałtyk’ is MVRDV’s first completed project in poland

‘we realized that if we could control the footprint of the building, we were able to create a new square between baltic and concordia,’ says nathalie de vries, co-founder of MVRDV. ‘we responded by turning diagonal shapes into terraces, usable by the office workers. a thin building that is very different from all four sides. it is slim towards the top to create a more tower-like feeling, but still respective of the neighborhood height restrictions.’

the scheme is named after a cinema that used to occupy the same plot

in order to ensure natural light throughout, office space is limited to a depth of seven meters. to the south, a slope of cascading terraces — created where the building steps upwards — offers sweeping views across the city. in addition to business-oriented functions, the building houses various catering establishments, a fitness center, and an intimate jazz club on the 16th floor.

the development primarily includes office space in addition to retail outlets

in order to ensure natural light throughout, office space is limited to a depth of seven meters

a slope of cascading terraces offers sweeping views across the city

the building appears to change shape depending on where its is viewed from

the structures also houses various catering establishments and a fitness center

looking upwards at the concrete and glass façade

various retail outlets are found within the building’s podium

the scheme is topped with a rooftop restaurant

a new public square has been created adjacent to the new building

the tower’s distinct appearance is defined by a pixelated concrete façade

‘bałtyk’ is located in poznań, a city on the warta river in western poland

project info:

name: bałtyk
location: poznań, poland
year: 2011 – 2017
client: garvest & vox group
site and program: 25,000 sqm mixed-use tower with: 12,000 sqm office space, 750 sqm panorama restaurant with a one room hotel, and 1,350 sqm retail in the plinth
budget: undisclosed

design team: winy maas, jacob van rijs and nathalie de vries with fokke moerel, roy sieljes, anton wubben, jaap baselmans, doris goldstein, maciej grelewicz, brygida zawadzka, irena nowacka
co-architects: natkaniec olechnicki  architekci
designers: karol olechnicki  and paweł natkaniec
cooperation: anna piętocha, karol zdanuczyk, maciej faber and michał zbytniewski
façade: akon S.C.
designers: olgierd rutnicki and katarzyna starzecka
cooperation: michał ejsmont, joanna hoffmann, piotr kasperski, kamila pierunek and łukasz woźniak
mechanical: termostudio S.C.
designers: nikodem frąckowiak, rafał pawłowski, marek maciejewski, bartosz rurek, marek skrocki and dawid nowak
greenery: grupa krajobrazowa
designer: monika łucarz
photography: ossip van duivenbode

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