Metropolitan

Office building

@. Pl. Pilsudskiego 1
architect. Norman Foster
finished. 2003

The building occupies an important position in the city. It has blocked the view of the National Theatre (a feat in and of itself) from Pilsudski Square, probably the largest open space in the city. It fits in seamlessly with the surrounding architecture, picking up on the rounded edges and slate gray of the neighboring Hotel Europejski and the vertical decorative elements of the theater. The site is deep and to allow natural light into the offices within there is an interior courtard. This is both practical and in keeping with traditional Warsaw tenement buildings. The courtyard is cool in the summer and protected from the winter winds and because there is a fountain it has become an attraction for smaller children. It's integration into the city fabric is what makes me happiest.