Buro Happold project wins major award in Poland
A new extension to the famous Palac Sobanskich in Warsaw, has won the public building/office category in one of Poland's leading award schemes managed by the Association of Polish Architects together with 'Architectura' magazine. Working with Dublin architects A & D Wejchert, Buro Happold provided environmental, building services and structural engineering as well as specialist façade consultancy.
Palac Sobanskich is a well known Warsaw building, and much public and media led debate took place over whether planning and building permission should be granted to build a modern building on ground so close to the old Palace. The building, for Wejchert Investments Sp. z o.o, has been built within a few meters of the small, stylish 19th century palace, itself now restored as the Polish Business Council Club.
Paul Rogers, of Buro Happold's Berlin and Warsaw offices, comments. “We are especially delighted to see the new Palac Sobanskich Building recognised with this award. The new Palace represents a design departure, with a move away from the trend of incorporating references to traditional Polish architecture even in new buildings. It is very modern, in comparison to the old palace building. It makes a strong, individual contemporary design statement, rather than reflecting traditional vernacular styles. Despite the initial debate, the new building has been very well received”.
