Blood Center

Racibórz, Poland

Photo © Bartłomiej Senkowski

Public Buildings

Architects: FAAB Architektura

Location: Henryka Sienkiewicza 3, 47400 Racibórz, Poland
Year: 2013

Within the building blood is being collected, tested, stored, processed (to divide into blood elements) and purified with the technology based on radioactive materials. The intentional vivid color scheme of the elevation, making the building visually attractive to the public, calls attention to the idea of blood donation and to the building itself, which would otherwise remain hidden behind the surrounding buildings. The choice of glazed ceramic panels is inspired by the local Silesian building tradition, present in the historical building facades with glazed bricks. The upper levels of the elevation consist of more than 2000 ceramic elements. Among them, the first in Poland curved glazed panels of 145 cm and 195 cm radius. Three different shades of red were implemented to create irregularity on the surface of the all four elevations. These shades symbolize the variation of color in blood. The national historic preservation office consent was required to obtain building permit.