The first phase of the metamorphosis of Renoma has been completed in Wrocław

With its Portuguese and Turkish marble, golden head sculptures, large art deco chandeliers and elegant boutique shop windows, the northern Atrium of Renoma can no longer be recognised. The cult building in Wrocław has undergone a metamorphosis, bringing it closer to the look of the historic Wertheim department store with solutions that bring it to the standards of the most modern mixed-use building. The people of Wrocław can now admire the first effects.

Renoma is one of the architectural icons of Wrocław and from the first days of its existence it has been associated with elegant and modern retail. The modernist building has undergone many changes throughout its long history. When Globalworth decided to purchase it in 2017, the company decided to return it to its former glory and adapt its character to suit the latest trends.

“We are writing a new chapter in the history of Renoma that largely harks back to what happened in its past. Above all, Renoma after the changes will open up to the city and become a living and integral part of it while attracting the people of Wrocław as well as local and international businesses. On the side facing Kościuszki square and Czysty square, restaurant and bar areas are to be created with many original concepts and they will connect two internal courtyards and a passageway,” states Barbara Wójcik, Asset Management & Leasing Director at Globalworth Poland, the owner and property manager of Renoma, and she adds: “At the same time, we are not forgetting about retail - Renoma was and always will be a popular place to shop for the people of Wrocław, but it will now have a renovated and more specialised character. We will offer a completely new standard of quality, which I hope will ignite a lot of enthusiasm.”

Renoma all the time remains open to customers with stores and service points operating on the ground floor and on level -1 and is easily accessible from the main entrance. On level -1, popular everyday stores will stay including a Biedronka supermarket, a Rossmann drugstore and a newly-opened Empik. Meanwhile the ground floor is to mainly comprise fashion outlets. In the new northern atrium stores have opened including Deni Cler, S’portofino, Pinko, Liu Jo and My Fangle. Most of them are tenants that have previously been in Renoma but have now moved to bigger premises where they have opened with new interiors with the latest concepts for their brands. Eventually, a further three fashion brands are to appear and an island café bar.

“Retail’s coming home and to the place where it originally was,” says architect Zbigniew Maćków, the founder and main designer of the Maćków Pracownia Projektowa studio, paraphrasing the famous slogan with which the English organised the UEFA cup ("Football’s coming home"). His studio is responsible for the current metamorphosis project for Renoma. “Shopping centres are traditionally enclosed, surrounded by car parks with their backs to the city and we suffer it like the flu. Their time is slowly coming to a close and this is certainly being sped up by the pandemic. There is more and more need for places in the centre of town where you can have a good time, eat something tasty and while you are there do some shopping. That is exactly what the new Renoma is meant to be,” adds the architect.

Returning to its roots:
On Saturday, 26th March, the first part of the reconstructed Renoma was handed over together with the entrance zone facing Świdnicka Street, whose art deco look was recreated from archival photographs.

“The architecture of Renoma was stunning before but only now are we returning this glory to its interior as well. We are recreating the historical layout of the internal courtyards and the skylights that will give it a new style that is closely connected to the pre-war original,” points out Zbigniew Maćków.

What will most astound guests is the new open northern atrium with a height of 22 m, crowned with glazed skylights. Its walls are decorated with Portuguese and Turkish grey marble with its characteristic veins. Between the floors hang golden and glazed heads representing different people from around the world, symbolising multiculturalism and openness. These were carved with great care by Wrocław sculptor Pola Ziemba. She is also the artist behind the heads and flourishes that adorn the facade of Renoma, which were partly reconstructed from 2005 to 2009, based on the original design by Ulrich Nitschke and Hans Klakow.

The unique decoration of the atrium also includes two massive chandeliers that look like the pre-war originals in their art-deco style. Their warm hued light and brass construction introduces an unusual atmosphere and elegance to the interior.

The southern atrium is to be the mirror image of the northern and work is currently underway. The two are to be joined by a cosy passageway, which as well as fashion stores will also include restaurants, bars and cafes and as a result the space will bustle with life even in the evenings and on Sundays.

Business high culture:
The new Renoma is to be even more open to business. On the first, second and third floors, new business space is to appear that will offer tenants the highest ceilings in Wrocław reaching even up to 4.5 m.

"From the very beginning, Renoma was conceived as a meeting place, setting new trends on the real estate market. In its new version, the building will offer unique office space, with the highest standard of finish, high and large floor areas, and a range of modern amenities for its users in the very centre of Wrocław. We want to fill a gap on the market, because we believe that innovative business needs exceptional solutions,” says Maciej Gołębiewski, Asset Management & Leasing Director at Globalworth Poland. "Renoma also has something that is not part of the standard of any office building currently under construction — authenticity, an unusual atmosphere and soul due to its 90-year history of being inseparable part of Wrocław and its people," he adds.

Renoma will include almost 35,000 sqm of office space. Future office tenants will have electric car charging stations at their disposal and electric scooters, which are also to be made available to guests and customers. There will also be extensive cycling facilities with locker rooms, showers and bicycle stands as well as a car sharing service. Tenants will also receive the Globalworth app, which will allow employees to contactlessly enter the office, call elevators using their smartphones and raise car park barriers as well as book conference rooms and parking spaces.

Renoma is also environmentally friendly – the building is BREEAM certified with a rating of Excellent, and is also 100% powered by green energy.