Agora

The architecture of the building was intended to become a reflection of a young, open-minded, forward-looking and friendly company, a forum for discussion and thought exchange. The architectural formula – an open, multidirectional structure of plans and sections – is subordinated to the achievement of this objective. The chaos of the surrounding area prompted the designers to seek unambiguous forms that organize urban space. At the same time, the desire to open up to daylight and greenery gave rise to creation of garden interiors within the framework of the building’s internal structure. Consequently, when viewed from a distance, the building seems to be composed of two compact solids, yet it becomes transparent at a close range. The multiple-perspective, delicate facades, light twin steel columns supporting the structure, rhythms of individually designed ceilings and lighting systems, and floor textures produce a uniform expression of the interpenetrating interiors and outdoor garden terraces, a space which is not dominated by distinctly defined architectural forms. The character of the building is jointly created by a variety of social facilities: a canteen, cafe, library, conference rooms or exercise rooms, all situated on the ground floor along an elongated hall forming an internal street that links two entrances at opposite ends of the building. A kind of portico situated along the street in fact reverses the idea of classical colonnades; it is a honeycombed wall emphasizing the traffic along the building, instead of being a mere frontage leading inside. Natural materials with no additional finish strongly demonstrate their presence in Agora: wood, galvanized steel, concrete. Their textures, smell and surfaces developing a patina over time make a real world facing people going about their daily business of creating a media reality.