Buro Happold to engineer one of Europe’s tallest towers
Buro Happold is delivering structural and building services engineering, as well as energy efficiency consulting for Varso Place, a development in Warsaw city centre.
Commissioned by HB Reavis, the project encompasses 140,000 m2 mixed-use scheme include one of Europe’s tallest towers and two mid-rise buildings. The construction of the development has commenced; its completion is scheduled for 2020.
Varso Place’s showpiece will be a 53-storey office tower designed by renowned architectural studio Foster + Partners. At 230m tall (310m with the spire), it will be the tallest building in Poland and one of the tallest in Europe. The two complementary buildings (21 and 19 storeys) are designed by local Warsaw architects, Hermanowicz Rewski.
Varso Place will accommodate large local and international companies, as well as start-up businesses looking for a prestigious and vibrant location in the heart of the city. It will also be home to one of the largest co-working centres in Warsaw.
The mixed-use scheme will provide a wide range of facilities and services including shops, restaurants and cafés at ground level. As well as four public squares and spectacular green roof gardens.
We are drawing from our extensive global expertise in high-rise buildings to deliver innovative, future-proof engineering solutions for this magnificent development.
Jarosław Kujawa, partner, Buro Happold
The development incorporates a number of impressive viewing decks – including the city’s tallest public viewpoint at 230m – allowing locals and visitors alike to enjoy unique views of the Polish capital’s skyline. Spectacular views of Warsaw and the metropolitan area will also be enjoyed by visitors in the restaurant on the 46th and 47th floors of the tower building.
Public galleries offer panoramic views of the city to everyone
Grant Brooker, head of studio, Foster + Partners
Varso Place will benefit from state-of-the-art technologies to reduce electricity and water consumption as well as air pollution, making it the first project of this scale in Poland to be rated “Outstanding” against the BREEAM certification scheme.
The spectacular development will revive Warsaw’s most central brownfield area, which was razed during World War II and never fully revitalised. Situated directly next to the city’s main transport interchange, Varso Place boasts excellent access to trams, buses and metro, as well as direct access to the Central Railway Station. The scheme will provide office employees and visitors with only a short walking distance to all major destinations in the city centre, as well as transport connections with the rest of Poland and Europe.
Pavel Trenka, CEO of HB Reavis Group: “Varso Place demonstrates our commitment to delivering world-class office, retail and entertainment spaces in vibrant, global destinations. Its user-led design and state-of-art facilities will draw in locals living and working in the area, as well as Warsaw’s many visitors. We are immensely proud that the observation deck, which will be open to the public, will allow all to see the beauty, history and prosperity of the Polish capital city.”
Grant Brooker, Head of Studio, Foster + Partners, leading the design team in London said: “We believe that Varso Tower will have a unique place on Warsaw’s skyline, but most importantly it will establish a new destination capable of revitalising this urban quarter, right in the heart of the city. The building contains high-quality and flexible office space, but it also makes an important contribution to the city with its glazed public courtyard at ground level and the spectacular viewing platforms with restaurants and bars at the top. These public galleries offer panoramic views of the city to everyone. We are really looking forward to moving the project into the next stage of its development and starting construction.”
Our main objective was to create buildings that are open to the public and encourage passers-by to go inside.
Stanislaw Rewski, Hermanowicz Rewski Architects.
“We are proud to contribute to this spectacular project which will revive this part of Warsaw. Our main objective was to create buildings that are open to the public and encourage passers-by to go inside. On sunny days, Varso Place’s guests and office workers will benefit from cafe gardens and recreational spaces located on its roofs” said Stanislaw Rewski, Partner and owner at Hermanowicz Rewski Architects.
Jarosław Kujawa, Partner, Buro Happold: “Buro Happold is drawing from extensive global expertise in high-rise buildings to deliver innovative, future-proof engineering solutions for this magnificent development. We are focused on ensuring a quality user experience as well as sustainable and energy efficient environment. It is extremely satisfying to take part in creating Varso Place, an outstanding addition to Warsaw skyline. We are looking forward to progressing the project forward.”
All images copyright: HB Reavis
