Roof garden in office building

Location: Zaryna str. Warsaw, Poland Investor: HOC Sp. z o. o. Project: 2001-2003 Completion: 2006-2007 Designers: Jakub Botwina, Jan Olizar, Marzena Suchocka in collaboration with Grupa 5 architekci Sp. z o.o. (concept and building project) and IN&OUT D. Nitecka-Frączyk (executive project) Short description: The designed patios are situated in the the Millenium Park office building located in the eastern part of the exclusive Eco-Park estate adjoining Warsaw Pole Mokotowskie Park. The main idea of contrast adopted in the architecture of the Millenium Park building is also reflected in the projects of the patios. The project consists of two separate roof gardens dividing certain architectural elements. A northern patio is being crossed by the ”river”, corresponding by its form to the final architecture and symbolising a natural water flow. Here several points of single specimen trees have peen put characterized by open-work luminous crowns as well as attractive shape when leafless. Additionally, recumbent vegetation has been introduced on small surface points. An overview has an ascetic character referring to the tradition of Japanese gardens. The second patio, situated in the south, constitutes the ”island” with the surface and vegetation concentrated in the centre surrounded by a water channel. A system of the roads and the patio corresponds compositionally to the run of the water stream at the northern patio. The prevailing colour of the surface is grey whereas the division into the pattern of the surface results directly form the elevation geometry constituting its continuation. The area constitutes a perfect place for spending a lunch break when sunny and warm as well as gives a chance to observe changes of seasons from the windows of the office building.