The main architectonic concept that the autors, Aleksander Mirek and Piotr Ostrowski had, was to return to the city a place, when it's the third generation of the inhabitanst of Warsaw that meets there. No without the reason has the expression come into the daily language Let's meet at the Rotunda.
The design establish building with a glazed canopy roof over the square in front of the seat if the bank, wich will prevent from rain or snow. The atrractiveness of the place will be undoubtly higher by installing on the premises belonging to NBP, an automatic bike rent room.
The Union of Polish Architects (OW SARP), in co-operation with PKO Bank Polski, DuPont, The Polish Green Building Council and Architizer, are pleased to announce an international competition to revitalize the existing Rotunda and create an attractive public, indoor/outdoor site around the structure, while providing a dynamic meeting place and stage for the theater of urban life.
The Rotunda building, built between 1962 and 1969, was designed by Zbigniew Karpińskiand his team. The new site should have a unique atmosphere reflecting the monumental spirit of the Rotunda. Plans will be judged based on the quality of overall design and its relationship to the surrounding area, with attention to detail, surfaces and seating.
“The Warsaw Rotunda is one of the most characteristic buildings on the map of Warsaw. Its revitalisation in the competition announced by PKO BP was taken up by a consortium composed of spółka artystyczna mirek i ostrowski and Kontrapunkt Design and Investment Team.
And so the second place in the competition was won by a design combining the symbolism of a safe, guaranteeing security, and of high technology connected with modern solutions indispensable in the today’s world. Delamination of the external facade will reflect the old and present function of the bank’s seat. The designers plan, however, delicate integration in the city’s tissue and do not foresee drastic changes in the facility located at the junction of pedestrian passageways of Warsaw, such as denial of its form or demolition.
Rotunda is a modernistic element crowning and supplementing the urban run of the Eastern Wall, a coherent urban complex composed of “Centrum” Department Stores or Pasaż Wiecha, and as such, it is an undeniable asset of the capital. The main architectural idea guiding authors Aleksander Mirek and Piotr Ostrowski was to return the city a place where already the third generation of Warsaw citizens meet; not without a reason, the phrase "Let's meet at the Rotunda” has entered everyday language.
The design provides for covering a square in front of the bank’s seat with glass panels, which will ensure protection against rain or snow. The attractiveness of the place will be, undoubtedly, increased by the first automatic bike rental shop in Warsaw to be located on the premises belonging to PKO BP." Description from architects.