The Polish Army Museum

This prestigious development is being built on the 74-acre site of the Warsaw Citadel, which is undergoing refurbishment. Chosen in an international competition, the winning architecture project aims to create a complex comprising of a main building with an enormous hall made of glass, with the total area of 100,000 sqm. The building will be located along the route between Wojska Polskiego Avenue and Execution Gate, flanked by two smaller pavilions. At the centre of the premises is the historic Gwardii Square which covers an area of 10,000 sqm.

To match the 19th Century brick fortress preserved on the site of the citadel a double facade was designed to look like it is covered in rusty steel. Using a lattice of steel work on the facade enables the access of diffused light into the interior spaces. The competition jury for the Polish Army Museum project, stated that the scheme featured an excellent layout.

Buro Happold’s team is working on the structural and MEP design for the building. The project’s bold architectural concept, scale, character and use required the application of non standard engineering solutions. Our specialists needed to take into account elements such as a flexible layout adaptable to any desired exhibition arrangements, unique storage conditions and visitor comfort.

The greatest challenge for our team when designing the main building’s structures was ensuring stable support for the 100-meter wide façade and the concept of a suspended auditorium hall attached to a 35-meter wide main hall ceiling. In order to rise to these design challenges, the drawings were carried out in 3D technology.

During the design process our engineers drew upon the company’s international experience for cultural buildings.

• 19th century brick fortress preserved on site
• 74 acre site of the Warsaw Citadel

Related Disciplines

• Structural engineering
• Building services engineering