Nuremberg – the second biggest city in Bavaria, after Munich – is also the location of the second tallest building in this state – Building Tower Nürnberg. This building is the main seat of an insurance company, as well as a contemporary showcase of the city. The entire office complex in question consists of a cylindrical tower and a peripheral seven-floor building in the shape of a quadrangle, in the internal courtyard of which there is a spectacular water pool and a space for recreation amongst abun­dant greenery. In this paper the Author makes an attempt at determining contemporary meanings relating to the introduction of an attractive recreational green area in the office building of a representational character for the company itself, as well as for the entire city. The Author points to the multitude of meanings and the complexity of values, often quite unobvious ones, resulting from the creation of showcase buildings for a number of diversified recipients.

Norymberga – drugie po Monachium miasto Bawarii – jest lokalizacją również drugiego co do wysokości budynku biurowego tego landu – Business Tower Nürnberg. Obiekt ten jest zarazem główną siedzibą towarzystwa ubezpieczeniowego, jak i stano­wi współczesną wizytówkę miasta. Na prezentowany kompleks biurowy składa się cylindryczna wieża oraz siedmiopiętrowy blok obwodowy w kształcie czworoboku, na którego dziedzińcu wewnętrznym znajduje się spektakularny basen wodny oraz przestrzeń do rekreacji wśród zieleni. W artykule autor podejmuje próbę określenia współczesnych znaczeń wprowadzenia atrakcyjnej zielonej przestrzeni rekreacji do biurowego kompleksu o charakterze reprezentacyjnym zarówno dla firmy, jak i dla miasta. Autor zwraca uwagę na wielość znaczeń i złożoność wartości, często nieoczywistych, wynikających z tworzenia obiektów typu wizytówka dla szeregu różnorodnych odbiorców.

Title of the paper: Contemporary Meanings of Water and Greenery in a Showcase Office Building – upon the Example of Business Tower, Nuremberg

Abstract

Nuremberg – the second biggest city in Bavaria, after Munich – is also the location of the second tallest building in this state – Building Tower Nürnberg. This building is the main seat of an insurance company, as well as a contemporary showcase of the city. The entire office complex in question consists of a cylindrical tower and a peripheral seven-floor building in the shape of a quadrangle, in the internal courtyard of which there is a spectacular water pool and a space for recreation amongst abun­dant greenery. In this paper the Author makes an attempt at determining contemporary meanings relating to the introduction of an attractive recreational green area in the office building of a representational character for the company itself, as well as for the entire city. The Author points to the multitude of meanings and the complexity of values, often quite unobvious ones, resulting from the creation of showcase buildings for a number of diversified recipients.