OD Dunaj

The brief was the conversion of Dom odievania (House of Clothing) on SNP Square — a postmodern building by architect Ján Bahno, set in the gap between the Brouk a babka building and a historic bank building — which is currently under reconstruction. The proposal offers a different approach to its transformation while preserving its signature gestures: the 45° fold of the north façade and the four vertical bays projecting into the square.

The horizontal elements of the north façade's envelope are reduced and pulled back behind the glazing, heightening the building's verticality; the original tinted glazing gives way to clear glass that draws passers-by into what is happening inside the building. The south façade, originally a service face, opens partially with transparent glazing at the entrance, with expanded-metal shading elements elsewhere.

The internal layout is stripped of its original partitions — each floor gains one service bay and three bays of open-plan space, with the steel structure left exposed. The ground floor belongs to the public: it is dominated by a hall-like arcade space reaching up to the third floor, linked by walkways and also serving as a venue for events and exhibitions. The upper floors hold a library with a bookshop, rentable offices, and, on the top floor, a lookout terrace with a night bar.