The Metropolitan A Work in Progress

The challenge facing Foster and Partners, designers of the Metropolitan, was to integrate a modern office building into Warsaw's most prestigious public space, Plac Pilsudskiego, close to the tomb of the un-known soldier. They have created a design for a fauade which will be transparent to those inside but solid from the outside unless you face it at a 90 degree angle. The challenge is to support 1,195 solid granite 'fins' projecting perpendicular from the glazing line. The fins are cut from North American 'River White' granite and measure 120 mm thick x 500 mm wide x 3,170 mm high. The effect, say Foster and Partners, will be that "the fins connect the building to its surroundings of masonry construction while animating the fauade with a rhythm of glass, granite and shadow."