The modernization project of the existing StARR building represents a unique fusion of advanced “Space Lab” research infrastructure with a contemporary office environment, all embedded within a cohesive, space-inspired visual narrative. The integration of technology and design creates an inspiring workplace where the functionality of clean rooms meets the futuristic atmosphere of a space station.
The project redefines the conventional concept of an office building, immersing the user in a multidimensional narrative of exploration. Through carefully designed lighting installations, reliefs, and dedicated thematic zones, the building ceases to be merely a place of work and becomes a technological showcase for the region, symbolically referencing precision, science, and limitless possibilities for development.
The modernization concerns an existing office building in Stalowa Wola, serving as the headquarters of a regional development agency. The project approaches the existing architectural fabric with respect, preserving the current structural layout and room geometry while adapting them to the requirements of a modern innovation center.
The main challenge was transforming traditional office spaces into a highly specialized technological environment. The inspiration for the new visual identity stems from the idea of progressive development, expressed through a coherent metaphor of space exploration—from a symbolic point of orientation at the entrance to futuristic visions of an orbital station in the shared areas.
The project creates a multi-level ecosystem of innovation, in which advanced science seamlessly intertwines with business and education, using the existing building structure to establish a clear spatial narrative.
The journey through the facility begins in a representative entrance hall, where a ceiling lighting installation reflecting the movement of stars, along with a central Pole Star, builds a sense of orientation within the world of new technology. This composition is visually completed by a faithful relief of the Moon’s surface placed along the main axis of entry.
Research functions have been integrated within a distributed Space Lab complex, including a sterile clean room laboratory, mechanical, chemical, and electronic workshops, as well as a glazed VR laboratory, whose transparency allows visitors and circulation users to observe the work of specialists.
The upper floors are dedicated to operational work and collaboration. Level +2 serves as the administrative backbone of the agency, distinguished by lighting inspired by the phenomenon of an eclipse, while level +3 offers flexible rental offices and a professional recording studio.
The key point of integration for all users is a social and relaxation zone designed in a futuristic aesthetic inspired by the International Space Station. It combines a multimedia reading room, vertical gardens supported by photosynthetic lighting, and quiet work areas in acoustic pods.
The entire concept is crowned by studio-type offices with an elevated standard of finish, along with a specialized control room-style conference space on level +4. This completes the building’s functional program as a place that supports both precise research and creative networking.
