Nominated at the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture – Mies Van Der Rohe Award 2015
ICHOT - GATE OF POZNAN was built in the most historical part of Poznan, Ostrów Tumski, where the Polish statehood and Polish Christianity have their origins.
The most challenging task to approach involved combing the new with the old in the very cluster of the historical buildings.
This very simple form of the building deprived of any needless ornaments on the one hand is built in respect to the historical background but on the other hand stands in striking contrast to them emphasizing modern times when it came into being. It was important to create a true and authentic building. It has been attained it not only by reducing the form to its essential meaning but also by the artlessness of the materials. For this reason it was decided to use raw concrete, stark cut steel and glass.
The main idea of the building is subordinated to the Cathedral by splitting main block and creating this way a crevice oriented to the church. The view of the Cathedral accompanies visitors to the exhibition while they cross the glass bridges on every level. In this way the Cathedral becomes the biggest and most prominent exhibit.
The building serves as a pentaprism through which we view something of the utmost importance, namely the history of the site. The fundamental idea of the crevice is the open space filled only with what is outside.
ICHOT is the starting point of the sightseeing tour whereas the exhibition introduces into it. Exiting the exhibition we can cross the footbridge to access the historical fortifications of Sluza Tumska, the Cathedral and other historical sights of Poznan located along the Royal Imperial Route.
Building revitalised an old, neglected and forgotten oldest part of the city - Sródka which became, not only for the inhabitants, the cultural center. Investment regulated bed of Cybina river and activated boulevards along it as well.
Building has 3 levels of exhibition, 2 levels of offices between them and one underground technical and parking level. The building is a kind of cantilever hang over the river almost 14 meters. Structure walls and finishing wall are made with architectural concrete.
Credits
Architects-collaborators: Magdalena Bury, Jarosław Dudkiewicz, Magdalena Golenia, Agnieszka Janik, Dominika Kaczmarczyk, Paweł Kaszub, Krzysztof Kuczyński, Janusz Loos, Eliza Lulińska-Oliwa, Paulina Łakomy, Michał Marjankowski, Justyna Nowak-Jagiełłowicz, Marta Pięta, Kamil Raczak, Adam Wereszczyński, Artur Wiąk
Exhibition design: Tempora SA
Structural design: ICON Grupa Projektowa, Marcin Matoga
Landscape design: Beata Dybol, Jacek Sarad
HVAC, M&E design: ICON Grupa Projektowa
Roads design: BPK Perfekt
Investor: City of Poznań
Landscape area: 29551,75 m2
Built-up area: 1115,37 m2
Nett building area: 5070,29 m2
Gross building area: 6216,61 m2
Gross volume: 27843 m3
Design: 2010
Construction: 2013
Investment cost: 54000000 PLN
