(WARSAW, POLAND) – Hines, the international real estate firm, today announced the completion of the first phase of a major modernization project at Wola Center, one of the flagship office buildings in Warsaw’s Wola district. In order to provide tenants and guests with even greater comfort and wellness, Hines, the property manager, has invested in the refurbishment of the main lobby and common areas and the addition of a modern visual information system. In the atrium, a new reception desk had been added, as well as coworking area with space for both individual and group work, and also for relaxation. Hines has also prepared a showroom zone for future tenants to showcase the standard of office space finishing. Additional amenities will be unveiled later this year.
“At Hines, we constantly strive to enhance the value of our properties and try to adapt to the current and future needs of our tenants as much as possible. Thanks to the modernization of common spaces in Wola Center, the building will be even more welcoming and safe, both for employees and guests. In the near future, we will focus on environmental aspects. As part of the Hines GREEN OFFICE program, we will promote pro-ecological and green solutions for the tenants of Wola Center. Additionally, we will install chargers for electric and hybrid vehicles in the parking lot. We hope to obtain a BREEAM certificate by the end of the year. Our goal is to achieve one of the highest levels – at least ‘Excellent’,” says Marta Wiewiórowska-Kudła, leasing manager, Hines.
A new visual information system was introduced on all floors of Wola Center, including the underground parking lot, as well as in front of the building. The classic tenant name boards have been replaced by digital media. The largest is a LED screen of over 5 square meters in the main lobby. Smaller monitors have been installed in the lift shafts. On all the screens, specially prepared animations will be featured, including building safety rules, as well as information about Hines initiatives, such as environmental protection. The visual information system will also include a tenant signage manual and navigation to facilitate movement around the building.
Right from the entrance, employees and visitors to the building will be welcomed by a newly arranged reception area. Separate reception desks in the lift halls have been removed. In the atrium, a coworking space has been created, as well as places for individual meetings surrounded by natural greenery with a focus on health and wellness, such as air-purifying plants and an 8-meter-tall tree located in the center of the lobby.
In addition, an innovative ceiling system with ecological felt tiles was installed in the lift halls, which not only enhances the aesthetic value of the surfaces, but also offers excellent acoustic properties. This solution is also easy to maintain and resistant to dust and dirt. The project is complemented by modern, minimalist LED lighting. The luminaires are fitted with single lenses and a black two-stage reflector, which ensures uniform light distribution and minimizes glare. For aesthetics, the previously painted core walls will be covered with vinyl wallpaper, which is more resistant to dirt and minor damage. The new style will be emphasized by black cladding, installed in the lift portals’ space.
“The main design assumption in the Wola Center complex was the optimal use of the existing, high space of the main lobby as an open area with the possibility of free arrangement depending on functional needs. At present, furnishings conducive to meetings intermingle with zones for individual work and rest, ensuring better use of the entire atrium space,” says Bartosz Trzop, founder and President of the Management Board of Trzop Architekci studio.
Wola Center building is located in the part of Wola which has been an industrial district for years, therefore the modernized space combines industrial elements with contemporary design. Particular emphasis has been put on greenery and pro-ecological solutions. “The architectural concept is based on the use of existing materials, including stone and structural elements such as trusses. The new design combines these features with wooden elements, greenery, loft-style accessories and graphite and black steel. In the main lobby, green areas have been arranged in the form of steel substructures that serve as a base for plants, which are a natural filter that purifies the air. In the center there is a tree, whose form emphasizes the characteristic, exceptional height of the lobby,” adds Bartosz Trzop.
An undoubted challenge for the designers was to treat the space individually, while at the same time linking the lobby with the individual lift halls. The effect of visual coherence was achieved by using in the atrium materials which refer to those in the lift halls. The shape of the reception counter and the platforms refers to the characteristic bevels in the internal elevations of the lobby, while the horizontal lamps not only attract attention, but also break the vertical divisions of the large glass panes.
“The new lobby space favors the perception of Wola Center as a modern and user-friendly building, providing users with a large dose of positive energy,” says Eligia Gałązka-Gajowa, senior architect at Trzop Architekci.
Wola Center consists of four modern Class-A office buildings, offering a total of 34,930 square meters of office and retail space. The campus is very conveniently located at 33 Przyokopowa Street in the Wola district of Warsaw, in the vicinity of Daszyńskiego roundabout and the Warsaw Uprising Museum. Thanks to the proximity of the underground and the Warsaw Ochota railway station, the building is well connected with other city districts and suburbs. Apart from office area, Wola Center offers a coworking space in the main lobby, retail and service premises, an elegant 1,000-square-meter patio with access to free Wi Fi, green terraces, as well as an extensive infrastructure for cyclists – racks and cloakrooms with showers. Car owners have at their disposal 319 spaces on a two-story parking lot, where chargers for electric and hybrid vehicles will also be installed.
About Hines
Hines is a privately owned global real estate investment firm founded in 1957 with a presence in 240 cities in 27 countries. Hines oversees a portfolio of assets under management valued at approximately $160.9 billion*, including $81.7 billion in assets under management for which Hines serves as investment manager, and $79.2 billion representing more than 172.9 million square feet of assets for which Hines provides third-party property-level services. Historically, Hines has developed, redeveloped or acquired approximately 1,450 properties, totaling over 485 million square feet. The firm has more than 180 developments currently underway around the world. With extensive experience in investments across the risk spectrum and all property types, and a pioneering commitment to ESG, Hines is one of the largest and most-respected real estate organizations in the world. For more information visit www.hines.pl and www.hines.com.
* Includes both the global Hines organization as well as RIA AUM as of December 31, 2020.
