In the village of Konopiska, around twenty kilometres from the southern Polish city of Częstochowa, an office building which is perfectly suited to the greenery around it has been constructed. The new headquarters of Press Glass Polska is a unique glass building located far from the urban hustle and bustle. The architectural design is the work of Konior Studio and the panoramic glazing was created using systems by ALUPROF SA, a Polish company and European leader in the aluminium joinery sector.

Business amidst the greenery

Polish company Press Glass Polska is a leader in the European multiple-glazed window sector. The company’s new HQ is situated in a spot that is far from typical for a state-of-the-art, Class A, commercial building. Located more than a dozen kilometres beyond the urban development zone, it stands amidst what seems to be a boundless expanse of greenery, lakes, streams, and groves, not to mention extensive golf courses. The developer set out to create a modern workplace which would offer employees constant contact with nature.

The three-storey building provides five thousand square metres of useable space. It was designed to a triangular plan and the primary concern was to save the tree that stood on the plot of land and preserve the stream that flows across it. The floors are terraced. Each one is different in shape and size and, together, they endow the entire volume with a quality of lightness. The offices were designed around an inner courtyard which is filled with greenery and also functions as a tranquil relaxation zone. Every level features a way out onto green terraces offering views of the surroundings. Even the roof has been planted with specially selected plants.

Aluminium, glass and greenery.

At the root of Konior Studio’s design lies a vision of a modern building distinctive for the dynamism of its style, with a form alluding to the nature of the company. Bringing expansive sweeps of glazing and aluminium into play made it possible to merge the building with the greenery around it. The glass is a crucial element, but not a dominant one, being interspersed with other materials in the form of steel, aluminium. concrete and wood, which lend a greater dynamism to the structure. Huge, flat panes of reflective glass are complemented by details in brushed metal.

The building’s aluminium systems were supplied by ALUPROF. The façade was produced using the company’s MB-SR50N EFEKT, which made it possible to obtain the effect of a uniform, glass wall. The building is also equipped with the highest attainable insulation properties. These are provided by ALUPROF’s MB-86 SI window and door system and the MB-77HS, a slender, durable, lift-and-slide door system that makes it possible to build a low-threshold leaf weighing up to six hundred kilos, with a maximum height of 3.24 metres and a width of up to 3.3 metres. The metalwork and elevation for the aluminium systems were produced by RP-Alu.

Recognition and awards

From the outset, the glass office building in Konopiska has been the recipient of prestigious distinctions from the world of architecture. They include the Golden A’Design Award in the Architecture, Building and Structure Design Category for 2020-2021. Particularly important is the fact that the organisers of that international competition deemed the building to be one which makes the world a better place, thanks to the excellence of its design.

The Press Glass Polska HQ also garnered two awards in the Plebiscyt Polska Architektura XXL 2020 (XXL Polish Architecture Poll), winning recognition from the Internet users who voted online and the jury of experts, which was composed of well-known architects, including winners from previous years.