The Hi Piotrowska project is a multifunctional office and services complex in the very heart of Łódź. It comprises two office buildings with retail and service space as well as a Hampton by Hilton hotel. One unique feature of the project is that the first, 20-storey building of the complex will be the tallest tower in the city. The other office building will have five floors. In total, the complex will offer 21,000 sqm of class A+ office space. Its uniqueness also lies in the fact that it is situated on ul. Piotrkowska, the longest high street in Europe.

“Hi Piotrkowska is one of the city’s showpieces. This multifunctional facility consists of offices, the Hampton by Hilton hotel and retail and service space. The building offers tenants a number of amenities, such as: attractive and flexible co-working space, a fitness club, a drugstore, a pharmacy, a bank, restaurants and cafés. The location in the heart of Łódź, with its excellent transport links, is a factor of the utmost importance to tenants,” insists Anna Trębicka, the director of the regional office markets department at CBRE.

The perfect mix

The key feature of the entire project is how its three buildings combine and complement one another.

“We wanted the office tower, the hotel and the tenement building that forms a boundary with the city centre’s most important buildings to the north, to create a harmonious whole. The complex has also been designed to complement the architecture of the iconic tram station on ul. Mickiewicza. It was also crucial to give the al. ZHP passage a new definition and relationship with the district council building and the Florian Jarisch Villa, which we have done by adding a nice bit of greenery on the side along al. Kościuszko,” explains Igor Galas, a partner of the PRC Architekci studio, which was responsible for the design of the complex.

For this purpose, the composition of the body of the tower has been broken up and its façades slimmed down.

“We also wanted a consistent thread to run through the architecture of the high-rise building and the whole ensemble. So we decided that the tenement building should also look like it belongs to the entire complex. After all, its gate is across the al. ZHP passage and is the entrance from Piotrkowska to the buildings of the complex,” adds the architect.

Since ul. Piotrkowska is lined with historic buildings, consultations over the project have taken place with the city’s monument conservator.

“One of the stipulations was that the tower should not be visible from ul. Piotrkowska, so that it doesn’t interfere with the ‘urban ceiling’ of the heart of Łódź. This rule also applies to the hotel. Its façade has been moved away from Piotrkowska, so that the building faces onto al. Mickiewicza instead and fits into the development along this thoroughfare,” explains Igor Galas.

Square adding elegance to pedestrian route

The retraction of the hotel from ul. Piotrkowska creates a new city plaza to be surrounded on two sides by the retail and service levels of the hotel and the tenement building within the complex. It will be lined with restaurants and pavement cafés, enhancing and adding elegance to a passage that will function as an important pedestrian route between ul. Piotrkowska, the tram station and the city district council building. 

The investor behind the project, Master Management Group, is thus announcing its plans to revitalise this area between ul. Piotrkowska and al. Kościuszki. Ever since the Florian Jarisch Villa ceased to be a registry office, its side onto the al. ZHP passage fronted by tall and pleasant greenery has fallen into neglect.

“The design of the new passage along al. ZHP is aimed at putting this right. It will now be the entrance and driveway to the office tower, the hotel and the council building. And added to that there is the fact that one end of the lane will open onto ul. Piotrkowska. The passage will be brought to life by the movement of people working in Hi Piotrkowska as well as the visitors to the complex. This is an important aspect of the project: that there will no longer be a “rear side” that could fall into disuse and dilapidation, as you could easily imagine happening if the entrances and driveways were located on the opposite side,” explains Igor Galas.

Class A+ offices

Hi Piotrkowska is primarily a class A+ office building. It has already achieved BREEAM certification at the ‘Very Good’ level, but also meets all the criteria for an ‘Excellent’ rating. The building is to be fully equipped with systems designed to improve the working environment and allow tenants to reduce their operating costs.

The most important of these include the flexible and well-designed floor plan, the abundant access to natural light, the highly efficient elevators, the ventilation and air-conditioning systems with in-built heat recovery, and the advanced cable distribution system laid under raised floors,” points out Igor Galas.

One feature that will undoubtedly spur the imaginations of its users will be the view through the windows of every workplace in the building onto the surrounding city.

“Its location at the junction of the city centre’s two main thoroughfares is a major advantage for employees and visitors. And added to that there will be the synergy between the neighbourhood and the hotel with its services on the ground floors,” insists the architect.

At the same time, around 50,000 people pass through the ‘Stajnia Jednorożców’ tram station every day. Less than 30 minutes from the complex, there is also the Łódź-Północ junction, connecting the A1 and A2 motorways and the S8 and S14 expressways, forming the southern bypass of the city. This is important because it makes Łódź, which has a population of over a million and such a well-developed transport system, even more attractive to companies looking to relocate their business or open a new branch.

Original source: 
https://www.propertynews.pl/biura/hi-piotrkowska-biura-z-metropolitalnym-widokiem-z-okna,83444.html