Petržalka Digital Park II honored by Dušan Jurkovič Award
An investment group Penta Investments, the developer and investor of the Digital Einstein Park II the administrative project in Eisteinova Street in Bratislava Petržalka, recently announced completion of its second phase. Construction of the complex with the total area 40 450 m2 ongoing since October 2007 completed the final inspection in May 2009. Without debate, the unique architectural concept and the subsequent project documentation elaborated the known architectural studio Cigler Marani Architects.
In connection with it Vincent Marani, its member, said: „We are very pleased to have been successfully completed the second of three planned phases. I believe that the Digital Park is one of the most interesting administrative projects in Slovakia and we believe that tenants as well as inhabitants of Bratislava will be satisfied with it. “
Contribution of abroad to the Slovak context
Yesterday on the occasion of transfer of the Dušan Jurkovič Award 2009 to this project it was presented individually to Cigler Marani Architects in the Gallery of architecture of the Slovak Association of Architects (SAS) in Panská Street 15. Detailed presentation of the architectural concept was held within the press conference with the laureates of SAS awards. After that interested persons had opportunity to look at the Digital Park II with their own eyes from the outside and inside. The visit in the presence of the Czech-American tandem Jakub Cigler and Vincent Marani pointed to the architectural uniqueness of this newly constructed office-building, its original and innovative exterior and interior design in many regards.
The Dušan Jurkovič Award means, besides Emil Belluš Award and Martin Kusý Award, the oldest and by its impact the most important annual architectural award in SR. It carries the name of the founder of modern Slovakian architecture and is granted to SAS author or authors for currently implemented architectural or urban work, not more than two years old, which under its statute contributes to a higher level of architectural creation in Slovakia. In the 45th year the jury for the first time acknowledged the work of foreign – Czech authors, which highlighted their contribution to the context of current architectural events in Slovakia.
Sovereign structure in non-homogenous build-up area
An architectural concept of Digital Park II is based on links of 4 identical high, glass objects in a trapezoid shape, which by the mutual turning reflects irregular shape of the land and bring sovereign and simultaneously volume appropriate structure to the non-homogenous surrounding build-up area, responsive to the scale of existing urbanisms. The area inserted into the newly built atypical park with greenery, water features and walking space communications creates the urban area of new quality, making pleasant the environment not only to users of the new office building, but also the general public. This fact endorses the principle of openness to its surrounding.
According to the accompanying report the position of Digital Park II comes from the orientation towards the center of the city (especially Bratislava Castle), addressing both the ground plan and the concept of the facade. This is on the north side towards the Old Town more open and glassed, while in contrary more closed on the south side towards the housing estate build-up area. This solution also takes account of heat gains of the building facade from solar radiation. The building is designed so that the maximum floor area would benefit from the natural day-lighting and was flexibly divisible for individual tenants.
Occupancy – an incredible 70 percent!
The administrative complex designed as a monolithic reinforced concrete skeleton offers 36 204 m2 of offices in 8 floors and 2 422 m2 of shops, restaurants and cafes on the ground floor. The basement provides large-scale parking spaces for 750 vehicles, parking under the bridge of Panónska cesta offers further 214 parking places.
The interior design creates a very pleasant, inspiring and motivating work environment at the same time. For example, the premises to which moved the international consulting firm Deloitte, designed British interior architect Sevil Peachová in the spirit of the most extravagant world trends. Offices with an innovative layout give employees more efficient and flexible working environment with an emphasis on greater interactivity, open communication and teamwork (see Deloitte Slovakia in the Petržalka Digital Park I since yesterday – September 03, 2009).
Strategic location of the site and modern, high standard office buildings have had time to attract other major clients to Digital Park II (Lenovo, Privat Bank, Bauermedia, Sauter, Dalkia, OHL, Broker Investments, Dovera, Terra Medica, Drive, Rede, ProCare, Shell). Not surprisingly, the complex is now at 70 percent leased.
Crisis as a challenge to do things more and better
At the end of the press conference Stavebné fórum.sk addressed one of authors of Digital Park II, Ing. Arch. Jakub Cigler (CR) with a single – hypothetical question:
If you enter this project now almost
eighteen months since the arrival of the crisis to Europe in what would be the
changed situation reflected in your concept of Digital Park, or what you would
propose to do differently?
I think that crises come and go, and they should be a challenge to make things not worse or less but more and better. Because after them is coming the phase of flowering, and this is the period in which this building will actually live. Client somehow calculates of worse times. And we have managed within the budget to carry out the building, which is already leased during the crisis, so from this perspective we would not change anything today. The aim is to move the quality bar somewhere forward – higher, certainly not lower. Slovakia, Czech Republic, essentially any post-socialist country needs to improve the quality of an administrative segment, but primarily a residential sement, whereas it was relatively large declined in this point. We believe that the crisis is only a small fluctuation and should not be looked upon it as if it should change a course, but rather as an opportunity to improve quality. Average and below average was really enough in Slovakia.
Who are Cigler Marani Architects
Pair of architects Jakub Cigler and Vincent Marani, who has been cooperating 8 years and has local and internationl experiences, established a studio Cigler Marani Architects in November 2001. Since then the company has grown to more than 60 employees, from the workshop of which born a number of important architectural concepts realized in Prague (the office project Park, the new headquarters of Radio Free Europe, winning architectural study for reconstruction of the Wenceslas Square).
DIGITAL PARK II in facts and figures
Project Authors:Cigler Marani Architects, a.s. Prague
Developer: Penta Investments
Investor: Digital Park Einstein, s.r.o. (Penta Investments)
Real Estate Segment: Administration / multifunctionality
Start Construction: October 2007
Final inspection: May 2009
Total floor space: 40 450 m2
Net office space: 36 204 m2
Space on a typical floor: 1 053 m2 in one house
Commercial: 2 422 m2
Number of storeys: 8
Photo – SAS / Best Communications
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