The Metropolis Center is a mixed used building that includes a commercial gallery, office space, apartments for long-term rentals, and underground parking. The building maintains the brickwork façade of the former Cartea Românească Printing House – a B type listed and protected industrial building. A small residential building (ground floor, first floor, and mansard) on the site is transformed into office space.
The new extension above and behind the brick wall façade is a neutral backdrop that emphasizes the existing building. The previous split of the uses on the site at 1919 was also kept so that the offices are facing the main boulevard, while the residential units are facing the back of the site and the south. The former industrial yard was transformed and opened to the public.
“The apartments form a complex white volume with several horizontal and vertical setbacks that form balconies and loggias in a successful interpretation of Bucharest porous urban fabric” (Ștefan Ghenciulescu, Piece of the City, Architectura no.84, May 2010, p.101).
Built area: 18000 sqm
2 Basements + Groundfloor + 7 floors
Location: Bdul Iancu de Hunedoara, Bucharest
Note: the project was developed by arch. Letitia Barbuica (design director Headmade Architecture) co-owner PlusArhitectura, together with arch. Peter Torniov, arch. Stefan Petkov under PlusArhitectura.
