Gambit Office

The client came to us because he was looking for an office that would propose something truly unconventional—an idea that was unique but still feasible. And they knew they would get that from us. We have already proven it in previous projects: we know how to deliver this kind of architecture, even with a tight budget. And in this case, the budget really was tight.

What makes this project unique is that the very material the company sells became its showcase. From the start, we wanted the building to immediately communicate what the company does—distributing specialized pipes. So we came up with the idea to actually use that material—the one they trade in and can also source at cost. 

We wanted the office and warehouse parts to form a coherent whole, and for the entire building to look like a stack of pipes. It felt like the most logical solution—economical, and at the same time deeply rooted in the company’s identity.

First and foremost, the pipes the company trades in—that is where we started. We looked at how they are arranged, how pipe stock is stored. It turned out that this layout dictates a specific angle—and that angle ended up shaping one part of the building.

There used to be a rectangular industrial hall on the site, but the immediate surroundings are mostly residential houses with steep roofs, often connected to long, cubic outbuildings. This inspired the final form of our building.

It was also important for us that the building fit well into its context. From the street, it forms a tight frontage, while at the back it is more fragmented—closer in scale to the neighboring structures. It is a kind of hybrid—both functionally and formally—that fits the site not just in terms of proportion, but also in spirit.

The client had clearly defined expectations: something simple—but spectacular and on a very tight budget. That became both the starting point and the main design challenge.

The functional program was strict, but it made sense—a clearly laid-out system of office, warehouse, and utility spaces. Everything had to be as practical as possible, without compromising spatial quality. That is why the offices are on the ground floor—meant for continuous human use—with classic glazing and views onto a small green garden carved out of the parking area. The utility and storage spaces are upstairs, where full-height, usable walls are needed. Those areas are lit from above using skylights.

This approach helped us keep the building’s monolithic form, while still ensuring the interiors get plenty of natural light.

Yes, the design evolved. Initially, we wanted to use Gambit pipes on the façade. But it turned out they are meant to be installed underground—they oxidize under UV exposure and do not meet fire safety regulations. So instead, we went with inexpensive raw aluminum sheet metal, and that is what ultimately ended up on the façade.

The second change was more ... ideological. The investors were worried the building might attract birds, so the initial design included nets on the pipe edges. But the more we thought about it, the more we felt that having animals around could actually bring some life to the place. We started persuading the investors—that it is ecological, that it gives the building an extra layer of function. We succeeded, although we are still not sure whether it was the ecological arguments that convinced them or the financial ones—dropping the nets significantly reduced the project cost.

I am a conceptualist, and KWK Promes—the studio I lead—has always operated in the spirit of conceptual design. The Gambit project was no different—it was not about form for form’s sake, but about a logical sequence of decisions: the site, the function, and the material dictated the direction. The pipes the company trades in became the starting point. But instead of using them directly, we went with raw aluminum sheet metal—as mentioned earlier—not only because it was more affordable, but also because it’s a material we have already tested in previous projects, such as the OUTrial House, Unikato, and Konieczny’s Ark.

Email interview conducted by John Hill.