Zlota 44

Main data:

Total height: 192 m
Number of floors: 58
Planned term of finishing: 2010
Designer: Daniel Libeskind
Location: ul. Zlota 44/46

It seems that in about two years time we will have another, already fifth skyscraper in the area between Swietokrzyska street, Emilii Plater street, Jerozolimskie Avenue and John Paul II Avenue. It will arise in the place where until recently a shopping centre called City Center used to stand.

In 2005 the plot where that building stood was bought, together with it, by Luxembourgian company Orco. They paid 41.5 million zlotys for it. For some time the company rented the area in the building, but that was only temporarily. Later, they started to knock down the building. Some people may pity that, because that building was still new, it was built in the beginning of 1990s and still looked quite well. It was designed by Jerzy Skrzypczak, the co-author of Intraco II and Marriott Hotel. But the decision of knocking down the building was caused by economic reasons. In such attractive point it is much more efficient for the company to build a new, higher building and to gain greater profits on its renting. But not offices, only 251 luxurious apartments will be located in the building. On the lower floors, like in most Warsaw skyscrapers there will be some space open for public, with shops.

What attracts attention the most, is the fact that the building was designed be well-know worldwide American architect Daniel Libeskind, who comes from Poland. He has designed, among other things, famous Jewish Museum in Berlin. He has also won the competition for the project of a building in a place of destroyed World Trade Centre towers. The Warsaw Libeskind's project has arouse a lot of interest straight away when first articles about it appeared. The building is described as "glass sail", because of its form that gives an impression of lightness and very bright, nearly transparent colour. Also sharply cut upper part of the building is very characteristic.

In the second half of 2007 the building of City Center was knocked down. Previously the construction of new skyscraper was planned to be started also in 2007, but because of a protest of occupants of the neighbouring block of flats it was delayed. Finally, an agreement was signed. The investor promised in it to pay the occupants a compensation and also to strengthen the block's structure and to repair the roof. On the beginning of 2008 the construction of the new skyscraper was started. It will last for about two years. The building will have 58 floors and will be 192 metres high, so it will be the fourth highest building in Warsaw (unless some other higher building is finished earlier).

Until March 2009 the construction had been moving forward very quickly, one floor was constructed in a few or just more than 10 days. From 16th of March 2009 the construction is suspended. After that date, at first, some small works were being done, but their aim was rather only to preserve the current phase of the construction. In June 2009 two cranes were disassembled and since then the construction is stopped and then the structure is only 17 floors high (about 1/4 of the target height). All that is a result of financial trouble of Orco and a decrease of demand for flats (till May 2009 only 30-40 apartments in the building has been sold). But a fear, that the project will be completely cancelled and an unfinished skeleton of the building will scare in Warsaw for years, seems to be exaggerated. It is more probable that the construction will be resumed in a few months. As a last resort, another company might take over the investment. Also a change of the building's function may be an idea. Organising offices here could be difficult, because of unusual structure of the building, but changing some floors into a luxurious hotel may be a possible solution.

You can read some more about the project on its website: www.zlota44tower.com/Zlota44.html and on the website of Orco Property Group: www.orcogroup.com/projects/zlota-44.


Visualisations of new skyscraper - from the website of Orco Property Group:

This is how the centre's panorama will look like with the new skyscraper This is how the building will look like from north-eastern side Lower part of the building A view from south-eastern side A view from the side of Palace of Culture Panorama of the centre with new skyscraper - a view from south-east A similar view at night A view from the northern side

Photos of the skyscraper's building site:

Photos taken on 1st of September 2007 - the building of City Center is being knocked down:

A view from the intersection of Zlota and Emilii Plater streets The remains of City Center, in the background the buildings of Warsaw Towers and Intercontinental Hotel City Center under demolishing seen from Sosnowa street - in the background - Golden Terraces

Photos taken on 5th and 6th of May 2008 - beginning of the construction:

A crane towering over the over the building site A view from John Paul II Avenue A view from the front of Congress Hall (Sala Kongresowa) A view from Zlota street, Intercontinental Hotel in the background A view from the intersection of Zlota and Emilii Plater

Photos taken on 25th and 26th of September 2008 - the structure reached 4th floor:

A view from the intersection of Zlota and Emilii Plater streets A view from in the front of Congress Hall A view from south-eastern side The south-eastern corner of the building South-western corner A close-up of the south-western corner A view from the eastern side A view from the south Transport of materials for the building's structure A general view from Emilii Plater street One more view from Emilii Plater street The cranes are still much higher than the building Now Intercontinental Hotel rises over the new building but it will change soon One more general view

Photos taken on 10th of December 2008 - the structure reached the level of 8-9 floors:

South-eastern corner of the building A view from Emilii Plater street A view from the Palace of Culture The structure starts to dominate over the neighbouring block of flats A view from in the front of Congress Hall A view from Zlota street A close-up of the south-western corner The south-eastern corner One more view of the south-western corner Another view from Zlota street

Photos taken on 10th and 13th March 2009 - last days before a break - the building reached 17th floor and since that date the construction did not go ahead:

A view from the Palace of Culture A view from Zlota street A view from the intersection of Zlota street and John Paul II Avenue A view from the intersection of Zlota and Emilii Plater streets A view of last floors (last for now) A view from south-eastern side

Photos taken on 11th of May 2009 - actually nothing has changed during last 2 months :

A view from the Palace of Culture A view from in the front of Congress Hall

Photos taken on 10th of June 2009 - the cranes are being disassembled:

The southern crane disassembles the nothern one A view from the eastern side After 2 hours the northern crane disappeared

Photos taken on 25th of June and 23th of July 2009 - the construction is fully stopped:

A view from the corridor of the Congress Hall A view from the 30th floor of Palace and Culture A view from Emilii Plater street

(C) 2001-2010 Maciej Blazejewski