by the varso tower towers over warsaw
Foster + Partners celebrates the completion of its Varso Tower in Warsaw, which now stands as the tallest building in the European Union. the skyscraper marks an integral addition to Varso Place, an HB Reavis development, and towers over the Polish capital at a record height of 310 meters (1,017 feet).
Grant Brooker, Head of Study, Foster + Partners, comments: ‘We are very proud to be part of this development. Our client HB Reavis has been a fantastic supporter of the project throughout and our local partners at Epstein and Buro Happold have worked tirelessly alongside us..
‘We believe that the tower, full of activity and with extraordinary public spaces on the roof, will make a strong and positive contribution to this wonderful city. We hope that it will become a center for local and international business and a symbol for contemporary Poland..’
Varso Tower | images © Aaron Hargreaves, Foster + Partners
a lively social hub for visitors
the architects at Foster + Partners presents Varso Tower to create a gateway to new development in Warsaw. Situated on the corner of Jana Pawla II and Chmielna Street, the project draws visitors through the building onto a public plaza that connects with neighboring buildings.
A plaza enclosed by a glass screen becomes the “social heart” of the project and is brought to life with full-height trees and benches for visitors to enjoy. This ‘urban room’ constitutes the perfect connection point between the people who work in the offices, who can use it as a place to rest during breaks, and the public, to access the shops and restaurants of the neighboring buildings.
inside the skyscraper by foster + partners
The public realm continues at the top of the tower, which is accessed directly from the ground via two panoramic elevators, with an observation deck on level fifty-three. This is the highest inhabited floor in Poland with uninterrupted views of the city. The forty-ninth level will soon offer a fully landscaped terrace bar with sixteen trees, breaking the record for the tallest garden in Warsaw.
The offices are served by two banks of high-capacity double-deck elevators, with each car serving two floors at a time. With 70,000 square meters of new office space, the tower features large-span floor plates with a clear height of three meters (9.8 feet) for open-plan offices. The building obtains the BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Gold certifications, due in part to its triple-glazed facades.
Krzysztof Gornicki, Partner, Foster + Partners, comments: ‘We are delighted to see the first tenants move into the tower, which is the product of a close collaboration between Foster + Partners and HB Reavis. The tower’s lobby features a 10-meter-tall ceramic artwork by local artist Krystyna Kaszuba-Wacławek, brilliantly enlivening the space..’
Jedrzej Kolesinski, Partner, Foster + Partners, adds: ‘Varso Tower is a timeless addition to the skyline and a vibrant destination in the heart of Warsaw. In addition to flexible office spaces, the building gives back to the city by providing a dynamic public realm. The tower’s direct underground link to the adjacent Warsaw Central Station will breathe new life into the surrounding urban neighborhood.”
