Ethos

Warsaw, Poland

Situated in Three Crosses Square in Warsaw, Ethos is in a prime location close to the Stock Exchange, Sheraton Hotel and the Polish Parliament. The development consists of two buildings; a six storey main structure and a second known as the Piano.

Originally constructed in the late 1990s for use by a single tenant, the client wanted to transform the interior to increase the leasable space and improve flexibility for future adaptations.

Project includes a five storey extension and significant building refurbishment

Intelligent air cooled chillers reduce impact on environment (refrigerant with lower GWP)

Hybrid lifting station used for the first time in Poland

Challenge

Buro Happold provided structural and environmental engineering for the project to upgrade the Ethos development. The brief was to deliver an environment suitable for high value tenants, incorporating offices, a coffee shop, restaurants and retail space. The buildings needed significant refurbishment, reconfiguration and extension to optimise the layout and achieve BREEAM ‘Excellent’ standards.

With an ambition to create a high-end retail destination in Poland, as well as a desirable commercial location, the structural design needed to be remodelled to provide the ideal layout. A key challenge for our team was the need to expand the existing building while working with very limited available space for mechanical equipment and distribution.

Solution

Our multi disciplinary engineering teams worked closely together to devise a plan that would meet all of the client’s needs. We incorporated decentralised air distribution system in the offices to achieve the required level of flexibility. Newly designed HVAC systems for the refurbishment were specified, providing an energy efficient and space saving solution. Our design also allows tenants to control the climate in their own work areas

BuroHappold’s structural engineers reshaped and strengthened the original concrete frame and foundation slabs, as well as adding new elements, to extend and reconfigure the spaces. Our work included introducing a hybrid lifting station for the first time in Poland. Standard lifting stations operate continuously to pump wastewater into the sewer, while the hybrid solution only activates when it is needed, reducing both energy and maintenance.

Value

The result is a project that meets the high expectations of tenants and customers alike, transforming Warsaw’s ‘Royal Route’ with a development that is both environmentally considerate and thoughtfully designed.