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Galeria Katowicka and Railway Station Katowice, Poland

General presentation

Background

The Polish State Railway (PKP) wished to revitalize the Katowice railway station and its neighborhood. The aim was to modernize this central infrastructure of the capital in the Silesia region. Issues: To revitalize a deserted downtown suffering from a poor image and renew with mobility, lifestyle and services.

Our response

Our architects in Poland won the architectural competition with the Spanish developer Neinver through a large-scale project encompassing mixed uses, quality and attractiveness. It was also one of the only teams that proposed preserving the historical architecture of the train station. The urban recovery operation took shape in different phases: redistribution of roads and public spaces, demolition and reconstruction of the railway station, creation of a parking garage and an underground bus station, design of a shopping and recreation center, construction of a business center and reconnection with the neighborhood.

Architectural Mission

For this railway station with typical 1970s brutalist architecture and important in the local culture, we took care to reproduce its natural shapes and use raw materials, such as the 16 concrete “chalices” of the central hall. The construction of the bus station and underground roads freed up space. With its 12 million passengers per year, this site, a veritable anthill, also lent itself to the creation of a shopping center.

By designing and coordinating the entire project, we have promoted our culture of large urban projects. This infrastructure combines synergy of functions, eases access, improves traffic flow and creates a fusion of history and modernity. It has boosted the development of the city by improving the quality of life and economic development. This flagship project has made it possible to establish the Group and its expertise in the country.

Technical Description

Client

PKP et Neinver

Area

6.7 hectares

Budget

€ 200 million

Arching Mission

  • Architectural design
  • Building permit
  • Construction site and architectural monitoring

 

See the project