The Design Group’s Success in an International Competition
In this year’s edition of the International Property Awards, the title of the Polish laureate Award Winner is awarded to the Warsaw-based studio The Design Group led by Konrad Krusiewicz. It is their interior design for the Clariant Shared Service Centre office in Łódź’s Monopolis that has been recognised by the numerous IPA jury in the “Office Interior” category.
On 11 December, The Design Group will be honoured during the online broadcast of the virtual European Property Awards 2020–2021 gala for the interior design of the Clariant branch office. This project will then compete with the best industry specialists from across Europe for recognition in the “Office Interior” category at the European level.
The awarded interior design by The Design Group was created for the Polish branch of the Swiss company Clariant. The headquarters is located in the historic premises of the former Vodka Monopoly factory – Monopolis. On an area of 4,317.5 sqm, Clariant has opened a Shared Service Centre serving the company’s branches operating in Europe and Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
“In the interior design of Clariant’s office, what was most important for us was the combination of contemporary architecture with the history of Monopolis, Clariant’s DNA and the most modern technological solutions. The over-one-hundred-year-old building contains a great many brick walls, which we wanted to expose, while at the same time arranging them around the idea of art closer to people presented on 79 large-format seamless photo wallpapers” – says Konrad Krusiewicz, architect and owner of the award-winning The Design Group studio.
Art Closer to People
“We believe that what unites people is a common passion and art, which is why we decided that the leitmotif for the arrangement of the Clariant office would be the idea of art closer to people. It fits in with the corporate social responsibility (CSR) of the Swiss company, and also corresponds with the current situation that affected us all at the beginning of 2020 – in times when people are far from one another, there is a need for a touch of abstract beauty and a moment for reflection. We decided to take advantage of the opportunity to fill large walls with references to art, works and movements presented on 79 large-format seamless photo wallpapers selected under the direction of a specialist engaged by Clariant” – explains Konrad Krusiewicz.
The interior design of the company’s office combines industrial style, a touch of elegance, and also a highland, Swiss atmosphere. It is spacious, and above all functional. The Monopolis building concept assumes that the human being is most important, which is why the office was arranged so that every employee could feel comfortable there. Available are open space areas, numerous conference rooms, offices separated by glass walls, relaxation zones and coffee points. The large shared kitchen draws directly on the atmosphere of Switzerland and an alpine chalet with extensive wooden fittings. From the room one can exit onto outdoor terraces, which employees can use in the spring and summer season.
The International Property Awards is one of the most prestigious and largest annual architectural competitions in the world, which has been running uninterruptedly for 27 years. Entries are assessed by a jury of over 80 industry experts. The Design Group architectural studio, by winning an award in the “Office Interior” category at the national stage, has the chance to win further distinctions during the online-broadcast ceremony gala, which will take place on 11 December.
