White Office

The designed form of the building consists of a compact structure made of two superimposed cuboids, similar in footprint dimensions, rotated 90 degrees relative to each other, and further offset. The breakup of the uniform cuboid emphasizes the different functions of the ground floor and the first and second floors. Additionally, these two volumes are distinguished by their façade finishes.

The ground floor features a glass surface reflecting the surrounding greenery, housing office spaces and their facilities. The first and second floors feature a uniform, snow-white façade made of laminated panels and accommodate a clothing showroom. To achieve a cohesive appearance of the building, the windows are covered with perforated metal panels. During the day, this design ensures a monolithic, uniform look for the compact form of the upper floors. At night, when interior lights are on, an irregular façade pattern emerges, framed within the repetitive module of all façades, based on an axial, one-meter grid.

The gradient applied to the glass façades, combined with perforation, is intended to evoke associations with translucent materials or lace, reminiscent of fabrics used in clothing.

The entire building is maintained in a single color—snow white. Even the glass façade of the ground floor, through a white gradient that diminishes toward the base, harmonizes chromatically with the upper floors. To contrast the monochromatic vertical surfaces, the soffits of the overhangs are finished in a vibrant color resembling copper. This color becomes visible only when the viewer approaches the building, continuing the clothing metaphor by revealing hidden details only up close.

These design choices aim to create a distinctive building form using a restrained range of expressive means. The building is intended to appear neutral in its surroundings while remaining unconventional and striking. The form refers to its immediate environment, which includes office buildings with glass façades as well as simple production, storage, or workshop facilities.

Project: 2019/20
Status: Completed 2021/2023
Usable Area: Approx. 1,500 m²
Location: Jasień, Gdańsk, Poland
Author: Andrzej Niegrzybowski