Łódź with a new business concept - the first CitySpace in the city is now open

The first location of CitySpace, a concept of one of the largest providers of flexible office space in Poland owned by Echo Investment, has appeared on the business map of Łódź.  CitySpace is now open in the mixed-use complex Fuzja, in that part of the project formerly occupied by the Karol Scheibler's textile factory which is already revitalised. It is in a newly constructed, three-storey and independent building surrounded by historic buildings of the former factory. The facility provides a total of 2,000 sqm of modern business space. CitySpace Fuzja is the 13th investment of this office space provider in Poland and the first in Łódź.

The dynamic growth of Łódź is attracting more and more interest from investors who are keen to locate or relocate their business here. According to the Knight Frank's report, the total office stock in Łódź at the end of 2022 is more than 631,000 sqm. Office space put into use at the end of the year amounted to nearly 43,300 sqm, and over 48,100 sqm of office space was under construction. Some of the largest projects completed last year in Łódź and currently in progress are those carried out by Echo Investment, which primarily include the developer's flagship project, Fuzja. At this point, the first Łódź office concept of the CitySpace chain is open in the project area.

- Our main goal is to create the best conditions both for living in Łódź and for investing. Companies choosing to do business in Łódź appreciate not only the excellent location in the centre of Poland and the huge potential inherent in the people, but also the industrial past which we have been turning into our city's asset for years. The extensive revitalisation process, which responded to the expectations of the residents, has brought the city centre to life, thus increasing its attractiveness. Investors have recognised the changes taking place and are increasingly willing to choose Łódź as their place of business. Everyone feels at home in Łódź, whether they are a large corporation, a small company or a fledgling start-up, and each company will find its place here. Fuzja is a special revitalisation project, and CitySpace located in this area is a fantastic coworking space which will surely quickly steal the hearts of Łódź residents - says Adam Pustelnik, Deputy Mayor of Łódź.

TAILOR-MADE SPACE

CitySpace in Fuzja provides a whole spectrum of possibilities for organising a workplace - from single workstations and small office spaces to an entire floor arranged according to the tenant's needs for more than 100 workstations. Three state-of-the-art conference rooms are available to users: Wełniana with an area of more than 18 sqm, as well as Bawełniana and Lniana (both with an area of 14 sqm), which can be combined into one larger room for 12 people with a total area of 28 sqm. CitySpace Fuzja will also feature 55 studies and 301 workstations, including those for quiet work requiring concentration. Creative co-working spaces and relaxation areas are located on the ground and first floors. The CitySpace community is provided with a fully equipped kitchen with a common table, cosy break-out places with armchairs, seats and swings, as well as a gaming space where you can use a console or a table for billiards and table tennis during your break.

FULL TEAM SUPPORT

CitySpace Fuzja's tenants are offered a full package of services, including team support, modern equipment, cleaning service, unlimited tea and coffee or access to a dedicated IT infrastructure as well as 24-hour security and reception manager services. With the CitySpace community in mind, a special building app, CitySpaceApp, which allows users to book a meeting room or rent a workspace with no contract or unnecessary paperwork, has also been launched.

- We make key investments in strategic locations. Therefore, Łódź and Fuzja are a natural choice for us. Our project provides a completely new quality of office space rental services. It is a place open to individual solutions and a flexible approach to creating space tailored to the needs of its users. Standard office spaces are no longer enough, we now expect dedicated solutions, value added, a unique atmosphere and an equally unique environment from our workplace. CitySpace fully responds to this demand. I am extremely proud of our Łódź project. It makes me extremely happy that together with the whole team we can already invite you to enjoy its interiors and offer - says Lisa Zettlin, Managing Director of CitySpace.

THREE PILLARS OF DESIGN

The historic Karol Scheibler Power Plant, the Łódź avant-garde and a homely atmosphere - these are the main aspects and sources of inspiration on which the CitySpace interior design created by MIXD is based. The entire project is firmly rooted in the post-factory history of the place, which consists of the buildings of the former Karol Scheibler's textile factory from the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. Right next to a part of CitySpace's facade, there is a historic wall, a remnant of a building which in the days of the former Scheibler's factory's heyday served as a bleaching plant, a water mangle and a drying room, which gives the building its extraordinary atmosphere. The facade of the building itself (designed by Medusa Group) also refers to the entire complex and is correlated with both the historic and modern buildings.

In CitySpace Fuzja, many references can be found to the architectural gem of the complex - Karol Scheibler's secessionist Power Plant. The office space interiors feature elements referring to beautiful ceramic tiles located in a former engine room, as well as colourful stained-glass windows, which in CitySpace are reflected in various forms, e.g. an illuminated reception desk or hanging decorative elements. Original industrial wall sconces were installed in the corridors. The entire space of CitySpace Fuzja has also been arranged with elements referring to the textile tradition of the city and to the avant-garde represented in art by, among others, Katarzyna Kobro and Władysław Strzemiński. The interior of the building is therefore decorated, for example, with neon inscriptions in the alphabet created by the Łódź artist. Modern artists have also contributed to the CitySpace project: on the walls of the building's interiors can be found posters by young graphic artists and beautiful kilims by Łódź-based designers from Studio Tartaruga. Cosy interiors are enhanced by the ubiquitous soft fabrics, furniture coverings, carpets, earthy colours, and plants from the Łódź Roślinnik.

- Łódź has always been bold in its artistic activities. We decided to take advantage of this in the CitySpace project and create an unusual space for work and meetings, which is a juxtaposition of really contrasting elements, a factory on one side, home comfort on the other, and artistic energy on the third side. And it all works wonderfully together to create a unique whole. We wanted to respond to the current needs of people who no longer come to their office just to work and leave, we now place a very strong emphasis on social interactions. We want the space to be conducive to meetings, integration, conversation and a pleasant, warm, almost family-like atmosphere. And that is exactly what CitySpace is. It is a place where everyone will feel comfortable and find an answer to their needs and their style of work - says Joanna Mazurek, Associate, Design Direction MIXD.

CitySpace is a provider of flexible office spaces of more than 27,000 sqm where working is more comfortable, friendly and modern. It has one of the largest chains of office products in the country, currently operating in 12 locations available in Warsaw, Wrocław, Kraków, Katowice and Gdańsk. CitySpace offers flexible serviced offices, coworking, a virtual business address and elegant meeting rooms also available on a work-on-demand basis through the CitySpaceApp mobile app.

Fuzja is a flagship project of Echo Investment carried out in the centre of Łódź on the site of the former Karol Scheibler factory. The mixed-use project is being built on an area of 8 hectares, surrounded by historic buildings that will gain new functions. After many years since the closure of the Uniontex factory, the investment is returning to Łódź as a fully-fledged part of the city with a cultural, entertainment, gastronomic, service and retail offer, as well as residential buildings, modern office space, an urban square (Ogrody Anny) and open, green common areas. A total of 22 buildings will be located on 8 hectares, 15 of which are historic buildings. In Fuzja, the first gastronomy concepts will be opened later this year: Bakery, Deseo, Zdrowa Krowa, Sakana Sushi or Chinkalnia. A branch of a private nursery and kindergarten chain, Luppo Puppo, is already operating in the office building facing Milionowa Street.