This generally accessible patio is a major component of the OVO Wroclaw, a versatile building complex developed right in the heart of the city. The investors have designed the place to be open and friendly to the public. You can compare it to a small market square or a yard that can often be found inside historic houses in the city centre.
"One of the most interesting things about historic cities in Germany or Poland is that the courtyards inside historic buildings would often transform into public space," says Asaf Gottesman, the OVO Wroclaw's designer and one of its principal investors. "The courtyards are often filled with cafés, shops or galleries. They serve as an extension of urban life that is usually set in streets and boulevards. We found it particularly important that our patio serves exactly the same purposes, bustling with life and energy.
The patio is now nearly ready. Containers and construction equipment are now gone. Pavements have been covered with Belgian blocks, and the remaining space, including massive and round plant pots, are all in green. Trees, grass and smaller plants have just arrived. Ivy has begun to creep up the wall that separates the OVO from the Post Office. The ivy, which now has reached to the height of two metres, is expected to cover the entire wall.
Patio at the OVO
With the patio, the building will be accessible to all residents. The patio is going to serve as a place to spend your leisure or hang out with friends. The yard will be lined with shops, a café, eateries and small workshops. Parties, concerts, exhibitions and video screenings will be held inside. The place is designed to foster interaction of all types, be it social, business or cultural.
"The patio is going to serve as a meeting place that also holds cultural events," says Shuckie Ovadiah, OVO Wroclaw CEO and one of the investors. "The window displays in each shop will be consistent and varied at the same time, as in a small square. This is going to lend a cosy atmosphere to the place, so that the residents feel comfortable and are more willing to spend their time in the area.
A restaurant called DoubleTree by Hilton is also an important part of the project. Shops on the ground floor can open both on ul Trauguatt and ul Podwale and onto the patio. Their large and transparent window displays give an impression as if the building was suspended in air, which only additionally encourages people to enter the patio.
Dominikański now open
A few blocks away from the OVO Wroclaw, the Dominikański office building is also drawing the residents to its patio. This newly completed building has a nice yard filled with greenery and landscape architecture. The centre of the square features a sculpture made by the students from the Academy of Fine Art sin Wroclaw. The regulars call it the "goat". In summer season, the patio houses beer gardens on the local cafés and restaurants. The place will soon be decorated with a large green wall, which is now in preparation.
"Unfortunately, it is a challenge to take care of such places, especially at weekends and during public holidays," says Anna Sienkiewicz, who is responsible for managing the Dominikański. "Some of the residents are yet to learn how to use such places. Regardless of CCTV, they are trying to spend their leisure in a way that has little to do with our original design. I have to admit that it is a huge challenge in terms of security.
