2020-07-06

BETWEEN THE GOTHIC AND THE CONTEMPORARY. ALUPROF SYSTEMS AND THE BRIDGE HOTEL WROCŁAW

The oldest historical section of Wrocław is located on Ostrów Tumski (Cathedral Island) and it dates back to the tenth century. In the here and now, one of the most prestigious hotels in Poland has opened its doors there. The five-star Bridge Hotel Wrocław – MGallery melds with the Gothic surroundings of Plac Katedralny (Cathedral Square) and highlights the architectural outline of the cathedral’s architecture. The aluminium door and window systems required for the building were provided by Polish manufacturer and European leader in the sector ALUPROF S.A.

A bridge between history and modernity

In days of yore, Ostrów Tumski was linked to the right bank of the Odra River by a bridge... and the Bridge Hotel Wrocław – MGallery, built in less than two years, now stands on that selfsame spot. The architects were tasked with forging a new chapter in the history of Wrocław’s oldest historical quarter and creating a modern form which would be open to the city and its residents. With an exit leading straight out onto Plac Katedralny, a public garden and its proximity to areas that simply beg you to take a stroll along the Odra, the hotel is a perfect fit for its history-imbued surroundings and the monumental cathedral’s display.

The six-storey hotel has one hundred and eighty-four rooms, including seventeen luxurious suites, and it offers breathtaking, panoramic views of Wrocław, capital of the Lower Silesian region. The building’s owner is Tacit Investment Polska, the company which is also responsible for the recently opened Nobu Hotel in Warsaw. Other completed projects in its portfolio include several office buildings in the Polish capital. The cost of the Bridge Hotel Wrocław – MGallery development was PLN 150 million.

An ecological building

Forum Architekci was responsible for designing the hotel and its architects went to great pains to ensure that it corresponded properly to its historical surroundings. The exterior was therefore built using simple, refined and elegant materials in order not to overwhelm the neighbouring cathedral and, at the same time, to bring its form into prominence. Fired bricks, glass and aluminium were the focus, making it possible to obtain the right thermal and acoustic isolation coefficients and the requisite energy-saving properties. The aluminium door and window systems came from ALUPROF S.A.

As Bożena Ryszka, ALUPROF’s Marketing and PR Director, explains:

The ALUPROF MB-SR50N EFEKT semi-structural façade system was used in the design for the building. The system made it possible not only to attain the effect of a smooth sweep of glass on the hotel façade and the structures of the roof and skylights, but also to add atmosphere to the public spaces by bringing in more light. What’s more, thanks to the high airtightness parameters of ALUPROF’s façades, the building consumes far less energy.

The hotel also features the ALUPROF MB-86 SI window and door system with a thermal break, which is a response to the trends and obligations related to sustainable building. Windows and doors created using this system have increased insulating properties and they heighten a building’s energy efficiency. The aluminium systems used for the Bridge Hotel Wrocław – MGallery are rounded off by the ALUPROF MB-78EI fire-resistant system, which was used to construct internal partitions and establish fire compartments.

The passive building systems used in the hotel mean that it has attained a Gold LEED certificate. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design and the LEED certification is the most widely used multiple-criteria, building evaluation process in the world.

An industrial interior

Inside the hotel, the design moves away from the subdued elegance of the exterior, becoming much more modern and expressive. The interiors of the rooms and public areas are the work of Polish collaborative studio Medusa Group. The suites are adorned with prints of views of Wrocław and reproductions of paintings held in the National Museum. Several dozen portraits of historical figures bound up with the history of Lower Silesia hang in the rooms. Natural materials such as stone and wood were used in the interiors, forming a contrast to the modernity.

Facilities

The five-star hotel is rounded off with additional facilities which are not only open to its guests. As well as the public garden, the city’s residents can avail themselves of the fine dining offered by the Bridge’s restaurant, CRAFT. The industrial interior, open kitchen and dishes inspired by Wrocław’s historical cuisine all give diners a sense of the city’s atmosphere.

The top storey of the hotel houses the Bridge SPA zone. The inspiration behind the space was drawn from the nearby botanical gardens, which date from the nineteenth century, and from the exuberant flora which flourishes there.