Poland: Blending heritage with modernity
At Black Pearl, we love a historic building and take great care and pleasure in restoring lost real estate gems. In Poland we took a 100-year-old building, known as Pasaz Pokoyhof and transformed it into a cultural and business hub in the heart of Wroclaw’s old town.
The location was ideal, but the building needed extensive regeneration. It had a rich history having been used as a department store, cotton mill, warehouses, offices and various retail outlets.
Black Pearl understood that to preserve the building’s history, a restoration above and beyond the ordinary was needed. The building’s entire façade was originally clad in thousands of mosaic tiles which had significantly deteriorated over time. The tiles were a key part of the building’s uniqueness, so we decided to make their restoration a priority.
Through our local partners on the ground in Wroclaw, we installed a kiln on site and invited several local artisans to work alongside our team, using traditional techniques, to give a new lease of life to this landmark building and celebrate its past. The interior refurbishment was given just as much attention to create bright offices with clean lines and an abundance of natural light, thanks to 4m high ceilings. Exposed brick and beams acknowledge the building’s industrial past, while polished concrete floors give a very modern feel.
The additional investment has attracted tenants from a diverse range of industries such as fashion, publishing and software development. The ground floor is made up of retail spaces, playing host to a gallery, a bank, a hairdresser and a dance school.
By focusing on delivering a quality product, Black Pearl has created something quite special that celebrates the building’s history.