Office building B3, Krivá

Architecture woven into the landscape
The B3 office building of Modern Technology Systems (MTS) in the Slovak village of Krivá is a striking structure that plays a central role within the company complex, both functionally and aesthetically. The building forms part of the MTS technology park, where the development, engineering and production of automated systems take place. The building houses various office functions; a garden has been created around the building and an attractive roof garden sits atop it. The design is characterised by a strong connection with the surrounding landscape of the Orava region.

Architecture and design
The building’s design stands out because it breaks with the tradition of office buildings, which are typically closed, box-like structures with few windows. Building B3 is an open structure with a façade featuring extensive use of glass. To ensure that the sun does not have too great an impact on the indoor climate and to ensure the building blends well into its surroundings, a striking garden has been laid out around the property. At street level, tree species that grow naturally in the local area have been chosen. These are interspersed with a beautiful, dense layer of perennials that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Skybar with terrace and tree-lined oculus
A roof garden has been created on the top floor of the building. As the building consists of two oval volumes, one section features a canopy with a skybar, whilst the other is an open space with larger multi-stemmed trees. The section with the canopy features a large terrace, with a bar extending from it. The shape of the terrace flows beautifully with the shape of the building, with an oval-shaped opening in the roof at the centre of the canopy. In the centre stands a planted island with a multi-stemmed Gymnocladus dioica (sword fern) growing in the middle. It has loose ground cover of ornamental grasses and striking white flowers. Surrounding this central feature is an integrated wooden seating edge, constructed from radially arranged slats that emphasise the circular shape. The skybar forms a social and representative feature with views of the sweeping surroundings. The second part of the roof garden is completely open and features a number of multi-stemmed trees. As this part of the garden receives more shade, some woodland plants have been planted. In the centre, an oval area has been created with a vegetation of succulents.

The role of architecture
Although the building has been designed with great care, its architecture never takes centre stage. The roof garden and the building feel like a single entity, partly due to the repeating wooden slats that seem to embrace the garden. The design combines architecture and landscape in a subtle, harmonious way, with the trees forming the focal point both literally and spatially.