Warsaw | Warszawa

[sOmeOne]

HUGE!!
I love the glass dome thingy - awesome!

[SoboleuS]

Pics of less known construction sites in Warsaw
(photos by Arek)

Residential building near Dworzec Gdanski Metro Station





Karowa 31 (office building)





"Przy operze" - apartment building





And Hilton Hotel (pics by Pafcio)

[DocentX]

"Zielna"- some ofice building in the city center:

[DocentX]

New hotel under construction in the WARSAW city center:

photos from 4 I 2004 by @Arek:

[DocentX]

Olympic Park:

[DocentX]

An Open Warsaw

25 February 2004

Micha³ Borowski, Warsaw City's chief architect, talks to Ewa Kielak Ciemniewska.


-Why should investors come to Warsaw?




This is a developing city, striving to catch up to other European capitals, so it will also want to have some 10 percent of the country's population living within its limits. So in some time, the city should have over 3 million residents, not counting the metropolitan area, which should double its population and exceed 6 million. !!!!!!

This means that with the constant growth of the number of residents, the city's needs and opportunities for investors will keep growing.

Second, Warsaw still has much free land, and not only in the central districts. Even in the districts far from the center, Warsaw has very attractive areas because it's a city developing in all directions at the same time.

And third, this is a city that in a certain respect is exceptionally attractive to investors because it has no real center, unlike other European capitals-which means this center has to be built.

At the same time, the investment-oriented policy declared by Mayor Lech Kaczyñski is to be based on clear free market rules and principles. These guarantees from Kaczyñski should particularly attract serious institutional investors to build in Warsaw.


-You have spent most of your professional life in Sweden. Stockholm and many other Swedish cities are considered models of urban development, which cannot be said of Warsaw-a city ruined during the war and haphazardly rebuilt afterwards. What can you do to bring order to Warsaw?



A country that has lived and developed over the past few centuries in peace, without wars, partitions or communism, can hardly be compared to Poland, which has experienced all of these-although, earlier, it did not differ much from Sweden. Similarly, it is difficult for me to compare my home city of Stockholm with Warsaw, which of all European cities was the one most hurt by history.

Warsaw has been a self-governing, democratic city for just 15 years. Over that time it has undergone several administrative reforms and changes to its system which did not facilitate urban planning. Each of the 11 self-governing independent communes carried out planning tasks on its own and prepared investment plans that were not always compatible with the needs of the whole agglomeration. Only recently, over a year ago, the city was merged into one body, for which one person is responsible-the mayor, for the first time elected democratically. And in this context the responsibility Mayor Kaczyñski bears is enormous.

As for planning, work has to be started basically from scratch. This does not mean we can stop investment projects in Warsaw until the time when we have full control of the situation and when local development plans are ready. In line with the law on spatial development, we issue decisions on the conditions of construction and land development, and on their basis-the building permits. However, these decisions are always preceded by area and design analyses. The city must live and develop.

At the same time, we are conducting intensive planning. A study of conditions is being prepared which, when completed by the end of this year, will reflect the city's development strategy and will be a superior document for the local spatial development plans. This will be quite a detailed study, scaled 1:10,000-much more precise than the general plan of 1992, which has just expired. The study will define quarters, density of buildings, their height and line, and so on. Local plans will have to take into consideration the study's provisions.



-Since you began supervising the City Architect's Department, preparatory work on the development of Defilad Square and the western part of Pi³sudskiego Square has clearly accelerated. As for Pi³sudskiego Square, a tender has already been announced to reconstruct the historic Saski and Brühla palaces. What other projects do you consider priorities for Warsaw?



Investment priorities for Warsaw are set by Mayor Kaczyñski. The City Architect's Department scope of responsibility includes administrative activities: issuing decisions on land development and construction permits, planning work already mentioned, and task activities-preparatory work for launching individual projects, and supervision of those in progress.
Of course, the development of the western part of Pi³sudskiego Square and Defilad Square are at the moment the most important, most prestigious, even historic, events. These are central places in Warsaw. Defilad Square is right in the heart of downtown-it is a city-creating project that in the future will be the heart of the city, not only in the geographical sense. And Pi³sudskiego Square is a historic square to which Warsaw residents feel a strong emotional connection. Its development is of state importance and raises understandable interest among residents. In addition, I'm the head of the tender committee, so I'm aware of the great responsibility I bear-not only for the concept but, eventually, for the quality of the future buildings.

We also deal with other projects at the city mayor's order. For example, as the chief architect of the city,I supervise the project of the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which is to open Aug. 1, on the Uprising's 60th anniversary. Preparations are underway to build a National Stadium on the land used by Legia soccer club. Soon there will be a tender for a developer and contractor. We are also working on a concept to develop part of the land in Powiœle district, located on top of the tunnel, between Œwiêtokrzyski Bridge and Karowa Street. I'm also involved in the Wilanów Town project because it's the biggest urban development project in Warsaw. Five thousand apartments are to be built there, along with offices, services, schools, health care facilities, a shopping mall, and hypermarket. The project is based on the local development plan approved by the previous local government of Wilanów. Due to its large scale, this project and its implementation require particular supervision by the Chief Architect of the City, so that a quality town is created there.



-Warsaw's attractiveness is diminished by the lack of a conference and convention center, a trade fair center and a big modern arena. But the city also lacks municipal housing and an aquatic sports center. Where would you locate these projects in Warsaw?



We intend to build a convention and exhibition center on Defilad Square, near the Palace of Culture and Science, on the Jerozolimskie Avenue side. We expect facilities that will provide 30,000 square meters of new space, which, combined with the capacity and exhibition space in the Palace and with Kongresowa Hall, will create a completely new, original and exclusive congress and exhibition complex in the heart of the city.

Land for investment in trade fair and exhibition facilities is being prepared in Bielany district, on the premises of Lucchini Steel Mill, near the planned last stop of the Metro, M³ociny. In the future this area will have very good transportation connections, with a junction at the intersection of expressways, and the Pó³nocny (Northern) Bridge will be nearby.

As for municipal housing, whose construction is urgently needed, at present I can only say that a program of revitalization and renovation of the city's old municipal resources is being prepared, and it will also propose the location of welfare residential construction for the poorest residents. Revitalization of city quarters is connected with welfare construction because people living in old dilapidated houses are often poor and cannot afford new apartments.

An aquatic sports center may appear in the beautiful Cypel Czerniakowski area or in ¯erañ Port, which is a fascinating place linked by canals and the Zegrzyñski Lake with the Mazurian lakes.

A big arena may be constructed on the premises of Skra Sports Club on Wawelska Street, or elsewhere. No decisions have been made so far. In Warsaw, there are many large empty areas-£uk Siekierkowski, Praski Port, or big and attractive lots owned by the Polish State Railways (PKP). These hectares of empty land are waiting for investors.




-Under the condition that they will not build shopping malls-strongly opposed by Mayor Kaczyñski.




I think that no one should count on building what they want and how they want in Warsaw, as happened in the past. Or that each project, even the worst, can be somehow pushed through the offices. That time has passed. Investors have to take into consideration the investment policy of the Warsaw authorities, with clear and transparent rules, and the needs of the city. The fact that the city needs no more hypermarkets in steel "cans" that are called "shopping centers" does not mean that we are withholding all other investment projects in the trade segment of the real estate market. On the contrary, we are waiting for investors who will build city shopping malls combined with other functions-services, offices, facilities surrounded by attractively arranged public space. We have such places like the vicinity of Dworzec Po³udniowy bus station in Mokotów, in ¯oliborz, Praga, or Ochota, where local centers should be built, blending with the city and corresponding with the surroundings. We certainly want no more haphazard projects or lawlessness in construction in Warsaw. We want to carry out a conscious and balanced development of the city, observing the standards concerning height and size, so that the new facilities correspond with their surroundings. We want residents to live in a cultural, pleasant city that is friendly to people.

[DocentX]

A Reason to Cheer
25 February 2004

A national soccer stadium will be built in Warsaw, following a decision by Mayor Lech Kaczyñski. The new facility will hold some 35,000 spectators and will be used for matches played by Legia Warszawa club and the Polish national team.

The project-design and construction-will be financed by the city. The Ministry of Education and Sports will help finance the project.Construction is scheduled to be completed in the second half of 2006.

The mayor's approval puts an end to many years of indecision involving city authorities, club managers and the Polish Soccer Association (PZPN). Now the Polish capital will have a high-standard stadium meeting international requirements. If the planned tender for the design and the choice of the general contractor proceed smoothly, fans will soon be able to cheer in the new stadium at the corner of £azienkowska and Czerniakowska streets.

The Polish Army stadium, where Legia has played its matches to date, will not be demolished. It will be renovated and modernized at the city's expense-with or without the participation of Legia's owners. The ITI media holding company, which has come up with a preliminary offer to buy the club, wants to develop the land around the stadium according to its own plans. However, the mayor's declaration is clear: only sports and recreation facilities may be built there. It is consequently unclear what strategy Legia's potential sponsors will finally adopt. But one thing is certain-regardless of who owns the club, Legia will play in a new stadium.

Przemys³aw Molik

[DocentX]

Pi³sudskiego Square
25 February 2004

The City of Warsaw invites you to participate in a two-stage bidding, which has been announced, for the realization of the investment project entitled "The Development of the Western Frontage of Marshal Józefa Pi³sudskiego Square in Warsaw."


Pi³sudskiego Square is located in the center of Warsaw, in the vicinity of the historic Royal Route. Its western frontage, along with the Saski Palace, made up an important element of the 18th-century town planning arrangements-the Saska Axis. The former palace courtyard became a city square and always has been one of the most significant public places in the city. After Warsaw's destruction during World War II, only a fragment of the palace colonnade with the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (a place of national remembrance) was preserved.

Today Pi³sudskiego Square is a site of national ceremonies. The status of this place is the result of the traditions connected to it. Restoring the historic buildings on the western side of Pi³sudskiego Square must be accomplished in accordan with the requirements and guidelines of the conservators of historic monuments.

Within the framework of the contract, it is planned that three structures will be built the Brühla Palace the Saski Palace and a corner building at the entry to Królewska Street.

Brühla Palace

Its outstanding architectural and historic values justify the necessity of rebuilding the Brühla Palace (before World War II it was the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
The main body of the palace should be rebuilt, along with the annexes flanking the courtyard with a decorative gate, preserving the arrangement and style of the building and the proportion of the courtyard. It is necessary to reconstruct the elevation (front and back) of the main body, as well as the interior elevations of the annexes on the courtyard side with architectural sculptural decorations.

However, it is permitted to introduce contemporary capacity forms in place of the prewar pavilion standing next to the main structure. The form should correspond to the architecture of the reconstructed Saski and Brühla Palaces, as well as harmonize with the space of the park around it-the Saski Garden.

The realization of the elevation of the building using traditional technology is required.

Sections where a contemporary resolution will be permitted should refer in their appearance to the character of the historic building.

Proposed function: office-service
- surface area of lot-9,245 sq m
- height of building-from 12 to 15 m
- total area of aboveground stories-19,100 sq m
- total area of two underground levels (under building and courtyard)-18,490 sq m
- number of parking spaces-around 600.

Saski Palace

The historic form of the Saski Palace makes up the most valuable element of the Saski Axis with the openwork colonnade, linking the park (Saski Garden) to the square in front of the palace. The part of the palace, connected to the facades of the open air courtyard in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, should only have official functions (excluding any commercial services) and should take into consideration the fact that a place should be left to accommodate the honor guards and room for permanent exhibitions dedicated to the history of the creation of this monument.

The present preserved authentic form of the Tomb of the Unknown should be legible and adequately marked in the reconstructed facade.

A separation of the arrangement of the wings of the palace is permitted, under the condition that the symmetry is preserved and identical building materials are used.

Proposed functions of the building, as well as public functions:
- surface area of lot-6,800 sq m
- height of building-16.5 m
- total area of above-ground stories-19,800 sq m
- total area of two underground levels-13,200 sq m
- number of parking spaces-around 440
- permission for possibility of transparent roofing over the courtyards in the northern and southern wings.

Building along Królewska Street

In the place where formerly three townhouses once stood, the realization is advised of a new building in architectural form that creatively refers to the historic buildings there, preserving the historic line of the building on the Królewska Street side.

The use of elegant finishing material is required. The building should correspond in its form and architectural details to the neighboring buildings on Pi³sudskiego and Ma³achowskiego Squares.

Proposed function: office-service
- surface area of lot-2,800 sq m
- height of building-up to 19.5 m (possibility of surpassing the Saski Palace by one story)
- total area of above-ground stories-13,000 sq m
- total area of two underground levels-5,200 sq m
- number of parking places-around 170.
- service functions located on the ground floor in the building on the western side should be open to the Saski Garden.

[DocentX]

Warsaw City Center

25 February 2004

In 2005, Defilad Square will be turned into a construction site. There will be no skyscrapers; instead, public buildings and an open-air theater will appear in front of the Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN).

The main aim is to restore the layout of the streets which existed before World War II. They are supposed to cross at right angles and constitute an extension of existing streets-Poznañska, Pankiewicza, Chmielna and Œliska. These streets will also recover their prewar sections, those which hindered the builders of the Square and Palace in the 1950s when the remnants of old houses and streets were demolished and their residents resettled.

Until World War II, an important feature of the city's identity was an even system of buildings going in all directions from the intersection of Marsza³kowska Street and Jerozolimskie Avenue. The very center of the city was teeming with life, a place of trade and entertainment. After the failure of the Warsaw Uprising, the former center never recovered its prewar character. A huge palace, a "gift" from Stalin, was built on a large square in the very heart of the city.

Because of the PKiN's size and location, the city developed around it. The palace was a point of reference and a Soviet symbol of communist Warsaw. This is why, after 1989, people wanted to demolish it or at least hide it behind skyscrapers. There were many ideas and much debate on how the large empty space in the city center should be developed. In the end, thanks to the joint effort of Warsaw's authorities and the Urban and Architectonic Council, a concept was worked out which, according to everybody, has the greatest chances of being implemented and is most rational and economically justified.

In line with this concept, a square-provisionally called "Warsaw Agora"-is to be built in front of the palace. Concerts, demonstrations and New Year's celebrations for tens of thousands of people are to be held here. The location of a large commercial center is planned here-the Galeria Warszawska-at the intersection of Jerozolimskie Avenue and Marsza³kowska Street, as well as office buildings and apartments, which will create a frontage on Marsza³kowska Street and Jerozolimskie Avenue, as well as a congress center and hotels on the Emilli Plater side of the street. There will also be cultural sights, for example, a museum of contemporary art, which, along with a city square situated near the main entrance to the Palace of Culture and Science, as well as an underground exhibition space, would make up one of the main attractions of this part of the city.

Buildings which could house a theater and a concert hall will be erected in the part of the square close to Jerozolimskie Avenue. Conference facilities are planned in the vicinity of Kongresowa Hall; a wintergarden and indoor recreation space-near the PKiN. Also planned is an underground parking lot. The existing park along Œwiêtokrzyska Street will be preserved, with residential buildings erected on the edge of the park.

Compared to the plans prepared 12 years ago, the number of buildings is to be 30-40 percent smaller and their height should not exceed 10 stories or 25-30 meters. Only some of the buildings may be up to 40 m high. The dimensions and density of development are to be in accordance to the context of nearby surroundings. According to the design presented by Warsaw's Chief Architect Micha³ Borowski, the space will be divided into quarters to facilitate smaller detailed development plans and enable the organization of separate tenders. In the initial concept, the functions of individual parts of the complex have not been strictly defined: they will be decided by the city's needs and proposals made by investors. What is known is that this place has to be revived. This means that offices, apartments and hotels, shopping and entertainment space, as well as a convention and exhibition center, are needed. "There are still many open questions," said Borowski. How large the central square should be: for 50,000 or 200,000 people? Should the underground passage from Centralny Railway Station to the Metro station have shops competing with those to be built above ground? At present intense work is being done on this area in regard to its future.The goal is to create a new symbol for the capital: a City Center of high functional and aesthetic values.

One of the conditions which Mayor Lech Kaczyñski set when appointing Micha³ Borowski to the newly established post of Warsaw's chief architect was that construction work on Defilad Square should start in 2005.
The authorities expect that the most difficult task will be the development of the site on Jerozolimskie Avenue, owned by the Polish State Railways (PKP), with a cross-town railway line running underground. This is where the conversion of Defilad Square is to start. Although the final conditions of the tender have not yet been specified, many developers are interested in these projects. This is a rare opportunity for developing land in the very heart of a European capital.
Jolanta Karpacz

[wholagun]

So in some time, the city should have over 3 million residents, not counting the metropolitan area, which should double its population and exceed 6 million. !!!!!!

No shit, thats a nice round number. When will Warsaw have 6 million ppl? And how would that put us in comparasion with other European cities?

[wholagun]

Defilad IMHO will either be a boom or bust. It will either a good idea and look great or total shit. My problem with it is that it will leave a gaping hole in the centre of warsaw and will be lacking in height. Was it really too much to ask for just one skyscrpaer just one, jesus I guess it was.

When can we expect to see tenders and rendering for possible buiilding designs?

[wholagun]

Does anyone have any renderings of the proposal soccer Stadium for Warsaw?

[Piotr]

I dont see how there could be a hole considering there are skyscrapers on only one side of the Plac Defilad (West). The east is low rise buildings and the forum. I wouldnt mind a skyscraper on the corner of E. Plater and Jerozolimskie, but I'm not gonna cry about it if its low rise either.

Here is a pic of the stadium, i don't know anything about it though.

http://www.pbase.com/image/26397388

[wholagun]

Well ok you said there are only skyscrapers east of Defilad thats a good point I didn't think of that, but you decide to put a skyscraper or skyscrapers west of it your screwed it will look bad. But as I said I have to see the designs for the buildings to really comment, it can be great or it can be crap we'll have to wait and see.

As for the stadium it looks as though it lacks immagination and vision.

[Piotr]

Such a possibility doesnt exist because east is Warsaw's historical district, no one would allow an investor build a skyscraper there. And if they did, it would be the stupidest decision ever.

It has happenned once, TPSA built a fairly tall (I think 70m) building in the area, but this was the free for all of the mid 90's. Those days are long gone, we have laws and regulations now regarding new buildings.

[wholagun]

oh really, I didn't know that. In fact I know very little about Warsaw and whats happening so....

[DocentX]

[DocentX]

Destination Warsaw

25 February 2004

Warsaw is still a leader among Central and Eastern European cities in terms of the flow of investment. It is the wealthiest city in Poland, which is the largest country in the group of new European Union members.

The economic crises reported in Poland over the past few years have affected the capital city as well, though to a much smaller extent. The unemployment rate in Warsaw is 6.1 percent, as compared to Poland's average of 20 percent. Warsaw has 68 institutions of higher education which have a total of 350,000 students; there are also numerous research centers. Warsaw is a city of young people. One quarter of the city's population of 1.7 million is under 19 years of age. Another important asset is Warsaw's location on the route from Western Europe to Moscow.

In other words, Warsaw has plenty of advantages to attract investors. These include undeveloped land for construction. This issue of The City Voice features articles on large construction plans concerning Defilad Square, Pi³sudskiego Square and the area of the Legia sports club. Aside from these projects, the city administration is compiling development plans for a number of other areas, including interesting investment proposals in Praga-three large plots of land ready to welcome investors. The first is Praski Port with 18 hectares of land under development. Next to it is the vast area of the Dziesiêciolecia Stadium, earmarked for future public purposes of international significance, with hotels, catering services, commercial zones and congress and conference venues. It could also become home to multifunctional cultural and sports centers.

A few kilometers to the north is another unused river port - the ¯erañski Port. development plans concern commercial functions, housing and a water sports center. An additional attraction is the ¯erañski Canal, which leads to Zegrzyñski Lake, 30 km north of Warsaw.

Large areas for investment are also located outside downtown Warsaw on the left bank of the Vistula River. Like the district of Powiœle, Pole Mokotowskie has several university-level schools in its neighborhood. The city would like to create an academic quarter here. Sport and recreation activities, services and exhibition facilities with complementary housing estates are planned around the Pod Skoczni¹ Park, comprising 220 ha in Mokotów between Wilanowska Avenue, Gen. Sikorskiego, Sobieskiego, Kostrzewskiego, Piwarskiego, Konduktorska, Dolna, Pu³awska and Potoki streets.

Near Pod Skoczni¹ Park is another large area of 35 ha. The Dworzec Po³udniowy bus station, situated between Wilanowska and Niepodleg³oœci avenues and Potoki Street, can be used as a multifunctional trade, service and administration center to support the downtown zone.

When the Trasa Siekierkowska expressway was opened, the investment value of areas located along the thoroughfare in the western part of Warsaw rose significantly. The area called £uk Siekierkowski, assigned for urban functions with housing structures, is waiting for investors.

Apart from vast areas which should become home to significant new urban projects, Warsaw has dozens of smaller plots of land which the city authorities want to hand over to investors through tenders. Places which will become available this year include properties in Ursynów, on Pu³awska Street (8,151 sq m and 2,076 sq m), K³obucka Street (3,364 sq m), Kuropatwy Street (9,972 sq m), in the district of Wola on Wolska Street (6,103 sq m), and large plots of land in Bemowo on Po³czyñska Street (13,267 sq m, 5,970 sq m). In the city center, on Inflancka Street, almost 60,000 sq m is for sale on the site of a former bus depot. In Wilanów, over 20,000 sq m is available on Bruzdowa Street, 10,000 sq m on Orszady Street and nearly 28,000 sq m on Syta Street.

There is also a lot of land, free from any ownership claims, in Bia³o³êka, Targówek and Rembertów.

Information on undeveloped land is gathered in practically all Warsaw districts by the Development Strategy and European Integration Department. Information on plots of land ready for sale can also be found on the city administration's website: www.um.warszawa.pl along with www.warszawa-biznes.pl

The Promotion Department has recently created a new website about Warsaw for tourists and businesspeople. The main version is in English, but there is also information available in French, German, Spanish and Russian.

Go to www.e-warsaw.pl.
R.C.

[De Snor]

Originally posted by DocentX

Olympic Park:

I like this very much , but instead of 4 buildings they should have been stacked up imo
A tower of 20 floors would have been very nice behind the front entrance with that oval shape.

[REDHATT]

New Warsaw City Center: