An inspiring interview with Ewelina Opłocka, Project Manager – Workplaces department in Globalworth Poland about the newly refurbished atrium of our building in Warsaw.

1. What got you and your team inspired in the refurbishment process of the WTT lobby?

The inspiration for our conceptual changes to the WTT lobby came from the existing space’s strengths, particularly the sunlight that streams through a massive skylight in the roof. Out of concern for the environment, we decided to recycle and re-use the American walnut wood that was installed during the renovation process in 2016. We set ourselves the goal of reusing as many of the existing materials as possible and incorporating them into the new design.

2. Was there a message behind the entire concept? 

The objective was from the very beginning to highlight the exceptional nature of this location and, in addition, to make it more functional and welcoming for our tenants and visitors. This was already a remarkable space, but it was essential for us to create new, distinct areas, each with its own designated function, to better serve the community. These types of amenities are, in our opinion, essential for contemporary office spaces.

3. What kind of new functional spaces were created, and what was the strategy behind the concept?

Due to its size, the WTT lobby has easily been divided into six comfortable areas, including the reception, a coworking space, a lounge, an events space, and two cafés. We chose to relocate the reception desk, which is the focal point of the lobby, for this transformation. By doing so, we increased the accessibility and usability of the space for our guests. The newly created lounge area is adjacent to the elevator lobby and provides a great networking zone where you can now both relax and conduct business meetings. Another space that we decided to add is the coworking section, carefully positioned near the façade, where people can enjoy natural light and privacy from the busiest parts of the lobby.

The events space is equally impressive, being located right in the middle of the atrium and positioned under the three-meter-tall crystal chandeliers. The place is completed by standout furniture like modular sofas that can be rearranged depending on the needs or type of event being held. The areas are visibly separated by using different materials and flooring colors.

4. The first thing you notice while entering the new lobby are definitely the enormous crystal chandeliers. What other eye-catching elements are there?

Indeed, the three-meter-tall chandeliers have become the central piece of WTT’s design. In addition, we have added an abundance of vegetation, ambience lighting, wood and stone wall cladding, and beautiful wallpaper. The space has been outfitted with comfortable seating, a new reception desk, and café furniture to complement the new interior design.

To make the lobby even cozier and more sophisticated, we added 7.5-meter-long curtains fitted next to the façade. Totally rethinking the place, we’ve put in place new, faster access gates. Another technological feature is the newly installed automatic lighting control system, which adapts to the light conditions outside to maximize the amount of light required inside while reducing electricity consumption.

In order to simplify the foot traffic in the building, we decided to equip the place with a modern display board for tenant lists, direction signs with WWT logos, illuminated floor signs, and a Digital System to register our visitors.

5. What was the biggest challenge for this project?

The production and installation of the custom-made chandeliers were definitely the biggest challenges. We had to team up with both the manufacturer and a designer in order to obtain the amazing final artwork embellishing now our ceilings in WWT.

We had to carefully calculate and fit the weight of the chandeliers and the structure of the roof. The work itself was a challenge to carry out in a building that is being used. We also had to take into consideration the comfort of our tenants while they were still carrying out their usual day-to-day activities in the building. That’s why we had to work in a coordinated manner through all the stages in order to complete the lobby’s renovation without any inconveniences.