ICHOT - Gate of Poznan

Aperture filled only with what is outside

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.
Our building serves as a pentaprism through which we view something of the most importance, namely the history of the site.

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 us to create a true and authentic building. We wanted to attain it not only by reducing the form to its essential meaning but also by the artlessness of the materials. For this reason we 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.
Our 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 called Trakt Cesarsko Królewski.

SIZE
Site area 29.551,75 m²
Gross building area (main building) 5.115,80 m²
ASPECTS
Building revitalized an old, neglected and forgotten oldest part of the city - Sródka which became, not only for the inhabitants, the cultural centre. Investment regulated bed of Cybina river and activated boulevards along it.