The “Paragraph” – the building of the Faculty of Law and Administration of the University of Łódź is the icon of both the UNIVERSITY OF ŁÓDŹ and the city itself. It is situated “at the city’s gates”, in a highly-visible location. The shape of the paragraph symbol, which unambiguously references the law, now emanates a unique architectural power thanks to the addition of the third dimension.
The compact shape of the building and its majestic, solemn, polished black granite facade, which is consistently subordinate to the paragraph shape, surprises with its contrasting interior, which is dominated by white, glass and a sense of expansive space full of light.
The Faculty’s programme is extensive (9 auditoria for 2300 students in total, a library with a reading room, 35 teaching rooms, computer laboratories, 230 office rooms, clubs, cafes) and 10,000 people can study and work there at the same time, which, considering the modest size of the plot, required the building to be compact.
The area of the building is 22,500 m2, and the building itself is made up of three multi-floor, intersecting oval cylinders. The internal traffic plan is clear – all corridors on all floors begin and end in one central, multi-storey atrium – which means that every corridor ultimately leads there!
Thanks to the four identical entrances to the building, which also lead to the atrium, the large building can be accessed from numerous points and perfectly fits the pedestrian traffic route system of the campus.
The multi-spatial, glass-roofed atrium (the entire interior of the middle cylinder), which is nearly 30 metres tall, symbolises the size and importance of the building, and serves as its beating heart. It is made up of a mono-spatial ground floor and several galleries which open above it on every floor akin to amphitheatres, combined with hanging bridges, stairs and walkways.
Two monumental “chimneys” also hang in the atrium space, containing auditoria designed to be on top of one another like layers of a cake.
The aim of the architects was to design a building which is both user-friendly and dignified, cosy and monumental, simple and unique, one where “you have the RIGHT to feel good!”
In 2013, the Paragraph won a country-wide competition for “The most beautiful Polish University”.
The design has been the object of much attention and won numerous awards, e.g. the “Golden Drill” statuette in the country-wide competition organised by BOSCH to promote exemplary partnerships between investors, designers and contractors.
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