Award Winning Design Sees DuPont™ SentryGlas® Deployed to Change the Face of the PKO Bank Polski Rotunda in Warsaw

Organized by DuPont in conjunction with PKO Bank Polski, the Association of Polish Architects and the Polish Branch of the Green Building Council, the objective of the competition was to design the renovation of the Rotunda building – a cultural landmark in Warsaw – while also taking into account strict guidelines, including a design for an urban space for public cultural activities within the building itself.The competition jury unanimously agreed on the winning entry, which made significant use of DuPont™ SentryGlas® for the safety, security and transparency features it offers the extremely eye-catching structure.PKO Bank Polski Rotunda BuildingAs part of the redesign, PKO Bank Polski decided to allocate a part of the Rotunda building to urban or public use.During public consultations, more than 10,000 completed questionnaires by Warsaw’s residents were submitted with suggestions for use of the urban space within the Rotunda. The results of the consultations were reflected in the report, which became a requirement for all contest participants. The contest aroused global interest on the part of architects throughout the world. 1,040 teams from 79 countries were registered and ultimately 214 designs were received. Ten finalists were selected for the second stage.

The winning entry will ensure the sustainability of the original design of the Rotunda, while creating a modern building for the PKO Bank Polska and the community. The use of innovative solutions, such as SentryGlas® means that the building’s transparency will be securely restored, and the building’s façade will receive a new shine; while potentially leading to sustainable construction certificates.

The winning design met all the criteria set in the contest, maintaining the form of the Rotunda building in a manner which is faithful to its original state, while defining an architectural and urban space of the greatest possible functional use and aesthetic standards. PKO Bank Polska plans to start negotiations with the winners on the implementation of the design this year.

The winning team received a prize of $15,500, with the two equal second place teams receiving $6,600 and the third placed entry getting $5,800. Monetary prizes also went to one first distinction winner and five equal distinction winners.

More details on the winning design:

• The flooring of the square, with a regular grid of divisions reaching Widok Street, exhibits the bank's building.




• The whole is supplemented by cozy greenery from the side of Universal.




• The work presents an original solutions ot the lighting of the square by a "ceiling lighting" system by introducing a cozy scale of an urban interior, relating to the former height of the shelters in neighboring passage Wiecha.




• The banking functions in the revitalized Rotunda building will be positioned on the ground floor and in the basement.

A full "Urban Saloon" on the whole of the building’s first floor will hold the public space function. As a result, almost 500 m2 of space will arise enabling the ideas submitted by Warsaw’s residents during the public consultations to be implemented, including:

• A multimedia information point about cultural events,




• A place to relax or meet,




• A free art gallery,




• A cafeteria.

Photos of the winning entry and many of the runners up can be found on a dedicated Flikr channel, and a video, which showcases the design freedoms, safety, security and efficiencies of deploying SentryGlas®, can be found here: http://www.dupontvideo.com/dplayer.aspx?Mode=4&Unit=2&ID=%7bC6CA3282-1301-42FF-A161-0E3F8ACE330B%7d



The entries to the "CTF 2013" contest were evaluated by a Jury consisting of:

• Konrad Kucza-Kuczyński – architect, Warsaw Branch of the Association of Polish Architects




• Andrzej Bulanda – Architect, OW SARP




• Michał Łojewski – Graphic Designer, creator of the new corporate identity for PKO Bank Polski




• Tomasz Marszałł – Marketing Director of PKO Bank Polski




• Maciej Miłobędzki – Architect, OW SARP




• Marcin Mostafa – Architect, OW SARP




• Grzegorz Piątek – Architect and Architectural Critic (at the sessions of the jury, the Head of the Department of Aesthetics of Public Areas of the Warsaw City Hall




• Rafał Schurma – Architect, Polish Green Building Council




• Włodzimierz Soboń – Strategic Programs Manager DuPont




• Mateusz Świętorzecki – Architect, OW SARP