OVO Wroclaw is a nine-storeyed multifunctional building that will contain nearly 170 luxury apartments, exclusive office spaces, a modern SPA centre, a restaurant, cafes, shopping premises and a five-star hotel: Double Tree by Hilton. The area of the entire building is almost 49,000 sq. m., of which nearly 5,000 sq. m. will be occupied by shopping space. Its construction will begin at the beginning of April 2014 and will last two years.
Wings Properties, a company being a part of the large group Star Group Poland, invested in the futuristic project. The general contractor for construction works is Eiffage Polska Budownictwo, one of the biggest construction companies in Europe. Its portfolio already includes a number of Wrocław-based investments, including the Thespian apartment building, the Campanile Premiere Classe hotel and the Aquarius Business House.
The investor planned to begin works six years ago, but it was difficult to obtain funds for such a large project due to the global crisis and the unstable situation on the real property market.
"We have appropriated quite large sums of money for this project and its maintenance for the last few years. We have worked hard to maintain the primary vision and the top quality of the investment", says Shuckie Ovadiah, the investor in OVO Wrocław and the director of the project. "Favourable conditions appeared in the second half of 2012. Now the investment is gaining momentum, and its completion is planned for the first quarter of 2016."
Ovo Wroclaw – the location of Hotel Hilton Wroclaw
OVO Wroclaw differs from all buildings that can be found in Poland. Its streamlined shape will resemble a drop of water. The building will become the first example of blobitecture in Poland. This architectural trend is inspired by oval and soft forms. The building will be erected according to the visionary design by the Gottesman-Szmelcman Architecture workshop.
"Wroclaw is an open city that is not afraid of novelties", says Asaf Gottesman, the conceptual designer of OVO Wrocław. "Buildings that represent completely different styles co-exist ideally here. Thus, when designing OVO, we tried to give the city something that would be unusual and, at the same time, harmonise with the idea of Wrocław itself. This building will be a part of the city and a place of various social and cultural interactions. For me, it is a very important project, in which I am personally involved."
Obtaining the exceptional round shape of the building will be possible thanks to the use of Corian - a very durable and environment-friendly material – for the construction of the facade. It can assume various shapes, and its surface shows no traces of seams. It will cover entirely the facade of OVO Wrocław and give the building a unique form resembling a stream of water in a state of weightlessness that could be seen in The Abyss.
Ovo with awards and tenants
In September 2013, the preliminary sale of apartments of OVO Wroclaw began. It was highly successful, with 40 per cent of apartments and five office premises sold within a few months.
"Many persons fascinated with the vision of OVO Wroclaw have put trust in us", says Ewa Omasta, Sales and Marketing Manager of OVO Wrocław. "This is a proof of huge interest in luxury apartments in the functional and attractively located space. OVO Wroclaw is located in the very centre of the city and borders on the park, a view of which will be available to many inhabitants from terraces with an area of 50-200 sq. m. Today such apartments are difficult to find. Now we are starting another stage of the sale of apartments, flats and offices and the commercialisation of shopping premises."
In 2008, the concept of OVO Wroclaw was distinguished in Cannes by The Architectural Review, which grants awards for projects. The MIPIM Future Projects Award was awarded in the category of commercial and leisure facilities.
Katarzyna Kunka
