Mixed - use block

Project idea

The diploma thesis deals with the architectural design of a new building located in the industrial area on the outskirts of the towns of Sereď and Dolná Streda. The site is associated with the operation of the nickel smelter, which was closed in 1997 and currently represents a significant environmental problem. This brownfield, with its industrial history, has the potential to be transformed into a new modern urban zone that would become an integral part of the town of Sereď rather than remaining a forgotten peripheral area. The aim of the proposal is to revitalize the neglected site through the creation of a functionally and aesthetically valuable building that reflects the context of the location while simultaneously introducing a new character and architectural expression. The thesis analyzes various typologies of high-quality urban architecture intended to serve residents through the design of a mixed-use building program. From an urban planning perspective, mixed-use development represents one of the main principles of contemporary architecture, supporting the creation of a vibrant and functional environment. By integrating multiple functions, a complex environment is created that has the potential to reflect the future dynamics of urban society and structure. The proposed design supports diversity under one roof and thereby contributes to the formation of lively urban structures. By combining multiple functions, it eliminates the monofunctionality of the area, which would otherwise be active only during certain parts of the day. Instead, it creates an environment with all-day activity and supports the development of a community. The creation of mixed-use architecture also encourages the emergence of new building typologies that connect public, semi-public, and private spaces. In doing so, the boundaries between individual functions are blurred, resulting in a naturally interconnected environment that is fluid, inclusive, and efficient.

Project description

The conceptual design of the multifunctional building is based on the idea of dividing the mass into three primary functional units, which are interconnected through the ground floor and a community-oriented public center developed across multiple levels. This approach allows for a clear identification of individual functions while maintaining their operational and spatial interconnection, resulting in a complex yet legible architectural whole.

The three main volumes are programmatically differentiated – the residential part is oriented toward community living with an emphasis on shared spaces and social interaction; the hotel section provides short-term accommodation and enhances the functional diversity of the building; while the administrative block creates space for work-related activities and services. Each of these parts has its own operational logic, entrances, and degree of privacy, yet they are designed to naturally communicate through shared spaces.

A key element of the design is the community center, which connects the individual functional units not only at the ground floor level but also across upper floors. This vertically and horizontally interconnected space serves as the social core of the building – a place for meeting, relaxation, work, and cultural activities. Due to its position and openness, it creates natural relationships between users of different functions and supports the development of community life within the entire building.

The ground floor is designed as an active and publicly accessible layer that connects to the surrounding environment and contributes to its activation. It includes a kindergarten as an important community element, bringing everyday life and stability to the area. Other parts of the ground floor accommodate gastronomic facilities and a café, which activate the public space, create natural meeting points, and serve not only the building’s residents but also the wider neighborhood.

An important part of the design consists of accessible rooftop terraces that build upon the community character of the building and expand the range of usable spaces. The roofs of the individual volumes are conceived as active surfaces intended for relaxation, social interaction, and leisure activities. Depending on the function of each block, they may serve as semi-public community gardens for residents, outdoor spaces for hotel guests, or relaxation zones for administrative workers. The terraces also contribute to improving the microclimate, retaining rainwater, and enhancing the overall environmental quality of the design.

The architectural massing further works with the principle of stepped-back floors, which create exterior terraces on higher levels of each functional unit – residential, administrative, and hotel. These terraces are naturally integrated into the mass composition and gradually recede upwards, softening the overall appearance of the building, reducing its scale in relation to the surroundings, and allowing for better sunlight exposure and views toward different orientations. In addition to their recreational function, they contribute to the creation of a dynamic silhouette and the visual identity of the building.

An important spatial and environmental feature of the design is also the incorporation of internal atria within the building mass. These atria ensure natural daylight penetration into the interior layouts, enable efficient cross-ventilation, and introduce greenery into the building. They create semi-public relaxation zones with vegetation, enhancing the quality of the indoor environment, supporting user comfort, and contributing to an overall healthy microclimate.

The overall design operates with a gradient of privacy levels – from public ground-floor spaces, through semi-public community zones including rooftop and stepped terraces, to private spaces such as residential units, hotel rooms, and administrative areas. In this way, a vibrant, multi-layered environment is created that responds to contemporary demands of multifunctional architecture while supporting its social and urban potential.

The result is an architectural concept that, through fragmentation of volume, interconnection, and active use of rooftop and stepped surfaces complemented by a system of atria, creates a dynamic and adaptable structure with an emphasis on community, environmental quality, and contemporary urban life.

The architectural and spatial-operational design of the multifunctional building is based on the principle of a clearly legible mass composition, which divides the structure into three separate yet functionally interconnected blocks. Each of them represents a distinct operational program – residential, hotel, and administrative – while their mutual interaction is ensured through a central community-oriented public space. This space forms the organizational core of the building as well as the main communication hub, connecting all functional parts both horizontally and vertically.

From an architectural perspective, the building is designed as a set of formally distinct yet compositionally unified volumes. Their form responds to the varying demands of individual functions, such as daylight intensity, degree of privacy, orientation, and operational requirements. The volumes are shaped through a system of stepped-back floors, creating exterior terraces that soften the overall mass of the building while simultaneously extending usable space outward.

The spatial layout is based on a vertical arrangement of functions with an emphasis on their logical and efficient interconnection. The ground floor is conceived as the most public and active layer, accommodating a kindergarten, gastronomic facilities, and a café. This space establishes a natural connection between the building and its surroundings while supporting all-day activity.

Above the ground floor is a multi-level community center that functions as the primary distribution and social space. From here, access to individual functional blocks is provided. This space is designed as an open, visually interconnected system with galleries, visual connections, and vertical links that enhance orientation and foster social interaction among users of different functions.

The residential section is designed as community-oriented housing with an emphasis on shared spaces, social facilities, and flexible apartment layouts. The hotel section operates independently, with a separate entrance and service facilities, while guest rooms are designed with a focus on comfort, views, and access to exterior terraces. The administrative section is conceived as a flexible working environment, allowing for variable arrangements of offices, open-space areas, and meeting rooms.

An important spatial feature is the incorporation of internal atria that penetrate the individual blocks and improve the quality of the indoor environment. They provide natural daylight to deeper parts of the layouts, support cross-ventilation, and introduce greenery and micro-scale relaxation spaces into the building. At the same time, the atria serve as orientation points within the complex spatial structure.

Vertical circulation is designed separately for each functional unit. Within the community center, staircases and elevators ensure operational clarity and control of movement; they are not only visible within the interior but also expressed on the façade. Their placement minimizes conflicts between public, semi-public, and private circulation flows while supporting the efficient functioning of each program.

Overall, the architectural and spatial design creates a multi-layered and interconnected system in which public, community, and private spaces intersect. The combination of clear functional division, a central community core, atria, terraces, and stepped volumes results in a flexible and adaptable architectural whole.

Technical information

The structural and material solution of the multifunctional building is based on the principles of a skeletal structural system with a regular module of 8,100 mm, ensuring a high degree of spatial variability and flexibility for the individual functional parts of the building. The building is designed as a multi-storey structure with a maximum height of 9 above-ground floors and one underground level, which primarily serves as parking and technical facilities.

The load-bearing system consists of a reinforced concrete frame complemented by stiffening cores of vertical circulation, which ensure the spatial stability of the building. This system enables efficient load transfer while maintaining a high degree of layout flexibility, which is particularly important for administrative, hotel, and community residential functions.

The façade design is differentiated according to the individual functional units. The community center is designed as a transparent glazed structure that emphasizes its public character and visually connects the interior with the exterior. In front of this glazing, a secondary polycarbonate façade layer is applied, acting as a climatic buffer, filtering daylight and creating a soft diffusion of light within the interior.

The remaining parts of the building are clad with a contact façade system made of epoxy-coated aluminum in a brick-like color, referencing the industrial character of the site while ensuring high durability and low maintenance requirements. This material creates a unified yet articulated expression of the building mass, responding to its segmentation and vertical stepping.

An architectural feature of the façade is the use of sliding shading screens placed in front of window openings. These elements are anchored to the slab structures and allow for variable adjustment of shading levels and privacy. At the same time, they contribute to the dynamic appearance of the façade, enabling its changing character depending on the time of day and interior use.

Part of the administrative spaces is designed with a higher degree of glazing, emphasizing visual contact with the surroundings and maximizing the use of natural daylight. This approach supports an open working environment and its connection to the exterior.

The stepped-back floors of the individual functional blocks create exterior terraces that are integrated into the architectural expression of the building. Their railings are designed as integrated planters, allowing for intensive greenery and the natural incorporation of the building into its environment. Vegetation on the terraces improves microclimatic conditions and visually softens the building mass. These terraces are functionally and orientationally differentiated – in the residential part, they are oriented to the west, ensuring evening sunlight and high-quality living conditions, while in the hotel and administrative sections they are oriented to the east, supporting morning light and a pleasant start to daily operations.

The system of atria forms an essential part of the structural and material solution of the interior. Most atria are glazed and covered, ensuring year-round usability and protection from weather conditions. Exceptions include two atria – one in the residential section and one above the community center – which remain open, creating strong vertical connections and natural climatic spaces.

Within the atria, gallery access corridors are designed to provide communication between floors while also supporting social interaction among users. This gallery system enriches the space with an additional layer of movement and visual connections, contributing to the overall openness and complexity of the interior environment.

The overall structural and material solution creates a harmonious combination of a robust skeletal system, transparent and lightweight façade elements, and naturally integrated vegetation layers. The result is an architectural expression that combines technical rationality with aesthetic variability and an environmentally conscious approach to shaping the urban environment.

Documentation

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