LPP is finalising the first stage of the expansion of its Fashion Lab complex. The company doubles the office space of its headquarters in Gdansk
The Pomeranian clothing company has commissioned a new building on Łąkowa street with a total area of 17,500 m2, doubling the area of its headquarters in Gdansk. The opening of the building completes the first stage of the expansion of the Fashion Lab complex, which is to consist of four office buildings and enable the presence of most of the Gdańsk-based teams in the same location in the Dolne Miasto district of Gdańsk. The completion of the entire investment is scheduled for 2027.
– The project to create the Fashion Lab campus on Łąkowa began back in 2015 with the complete modernisation of the company’s existing HQ in Gdańsk. Two years later, while embarking on the construction of the building we are now commissioning, the concept of creating an ecological complex of office buildings that would fit in with the architecture of this district of Gdańsk was created. This approach will allow us to concentrate most of the several thousand employees of LPP headquarters in one location. This solution goes hand in hand with the changes taking place in LPP as regards transition towards an omnichannel organisation, which requires close cooperation and fast flow of knowledge between our teams. At the same time, the idea of the campus we are embodying is meant to appeal to our employees – fashion and contemporary design enthusiasts. We want the space we create to reflect the spirit of LPP, combining art, fashion and business – says Jacek Kujawa, Vice-President, LPP.
Some of Reserved brand’s design teams and omnichannel department have already started working in the new facility. The industrial-style building was designed by JEMS Architekci in consultation with the conservation officer.
– We wanted the Fashion Lab complex to fit in with the historical image of the district by referring to the industrial traditions of the Dolne Miasto district. The new building recreates the frontage, i.e. the sequence of front buildings of Łąkowa street, maintaining the character of the pre-war buildings with the former Tobacco Factory, i.e. the current seat of the LPP HQ and the Rifle Factory – says Łukasz Piwoński, Administrative and Technical Director, LPP.
The building with a total area of 17,500 m2 is divided into an above-ground office space of 8,500 m2 and an underground part with a total area of 9,000 m2 – with a two-level garage. The structure, which is 18 metres high, is made of 15,000 m3 of concrete.
– It is as if we built a 10 km long concrete roadway from Łąkowa street to our Distribution Centre in Pruszcz Gdański. The weight of the steel used may also appeal to the imagination – the 1,200 tonnes built into the structure may be compared to the weight of 800 medium-sized cars – points out Łukasz Piwoński.
The company has been pursuing the objectives of its new sustainability strategy “For People For Our Planet” since 2020. One of its pillars consists in the sustainable development of the HQ buildings and sales network infrastructure. The aim is to maintain the standards of modern and sustainable construction that will meet BREEAM certification requirements. Therefore, already at the design stage, the company focused on pro-environmental solutions, deciding, among others, to install a greywater system, thanks to which rainwater is used to flush toilets in the building. Special reservoirs were also introduced to collect rainwater for watering green areas. In addition, chilled ceiling technology, present in 80% of the usable area of the building, was used as an alternative to standard air conditioning.
– Instead of using a traditional cooling agent, i.e. freon, we opted for a more ecological solution which uses water to this end. This method also eliminates the problem of microorganisms which, over time, appear in the air-conditioning ducts, and the aluminium tilt windows used everywhere, which allow ventilation of the rooms, additionally support ventilation – says LPP’s Administrative and Technical Director.
Green technologies present throughout the building also include energy-efficient lighting using LED lamps with intensity sensors. By adjusting the amount of light to external atmospheric conditions, they determine the optimum illumination of rooms, while at the same time reducing energy consumption. To further reduce energy consumption, the building’s automation is managed by a modern BMS (Building Management System). which controls energy, heating, ventilation and air conditioning in an integrated manner. For the sake of the comfort of the residential areas in the neighbourhood, the company also wanted to limit the noise generated by the ventilation equipment. To this end, all the technical centres are located in the basement of the office building.
The new office in the Fashion Lab complex is environmentally friendly, but also a functional and pleasant place to work. With the employees’ comfort in mind, a green courtyard with natural grass and four-metre-high trees was made, which creates a friendly, intimate atmosphere of a mini-park. The focal point of the entire campus will be a green square surrounded by hill-like elevations, in which terraces with work and relaxation zones will be formed. In addition, for the convenience of motorised employees, the new 9,000 m2 facility has a two-level underground car park for 112 cars, of which 8 spaces are planned for electric vehicles and equipped with fast chargers. The company will provide employees , for starters, with six cars as part of its Car Sharing service, of which more than 30% will be electric, with full booking access and smartphone operation.
The opening of the second facility completes the first stage of a long-term investment to create the LPP Fashion Lab complex in Gdansk, which will ultimately consist of 4 office buildings located on a plot of 14.4 thousand m2. It is expected to be completed by 2027.
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LPP is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For over 25 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collection in traditional stores already on 25 markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Berlin, Tel Aviv or Moscow. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. The company has a chain of over 1800 stores with the total area of over 1.3 million sq.m. The online offer of the brands collections is available on 29 markets. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 265 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP also plays an important role as it employs over 24 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.