Greenery enriches urban life

Varso Place – high-rise complex in Warsaw

Varso Place is the inner-city high-rise and skyscraper complex in the busy Chmielna Street area of Warsaw. Its 4,000 m² of green space highlight the charismatic vibrancy of this quarter, providing value added for people at all levels. Varso Place consists of three inter-connected and multi-faceted greened buildings: Varso I, Varso II and Varso Tower. The ground floor level is accessible to the public. Wonderful green spaces create an enchanting external space over the underground garage and there are even trees growing in the lobby of Varso Tower. Inside, outside and on top of the building roofs – a green world has emerged with ZinCo green roof systems – including the skyscraper garden at an altitude of 205 m.

The investor and developer, HB Reavis, has managed the spectacular revitalisation of Chmielna Street with this new trendy complex and symbol of a modern Warsaw. The mixed-use high-rise and skyscraper complex houses offices, a four-star hotel, a science and technology campus, a health and fitness centre and retail stores, including many restaurants and cafés. The name “Varso”, derived from “Varsavia”, the Latin name for Warsaw”, gives this new landmark on the Warsaw skyline a meaningful identity.

Green at the highest level

The showpiece at Varso Place is Varso Tower with its 53 levels, designed by renowned architects, Foster + Partners. Varso Tower with an overall architectural height of 310 m including antenna is the highest building in the European Union and one of the highest in Europe. The building itself is 230 m high. The viewing platform (level 53) will be opened in 2024 together with the roof garden at 205 m (level 49). This skyscraper garden is said to be the highest in Europe and is accessible to all thanks to the panorama lifts.

At a mere 81 and 90 metres in height, the adjacent buildings Varso I and Varso II are more or less the small kids on the block. Compositionally, they fit extremely well into the overall project and the surrounding cityscape. Warsaw architects, HRA Architekci, achieved a loose arrangement of the building elements using different facade projections and roof levels. These roofs are also greened, lending Varso I and Varso II a distinct identity and value added. Anyone who has been there and enjoyed the green spaces will have sensed this. And, anyone who might only have glanced at the fascinating roof gardens from their office or hotel room will also have sensed it. Thanks to the varying levels, each garden is visible from the others.

Urban space

Varso Place benefits from the excellent connection to the public transport network – there is even an underground connection to Warsaw Central Station. There is also plenty of space in the huge underground garage for anyone using the car. Everything can be accessed really quickly, be it the car park, workplace, retail, the doctor or fitness studio. Functional spaces and quick access routes, however, are only one side of the coin. People need green spaces where they can linger and find tranquillity, especially in densely built-up urban areas. Particular attention has been paid to this aspect at Varso Place by creating green areas out of the open spaces over the underground garage.

Tailor-made

Whether it’s the ground-level roof of an underground garage or roofscapes at altitude, the choice of the appropriate green roof system depends above all on the planned design and the requirements associated with it. The starting point is always a professionally sealed roof – in this case, inverted roof areas with a bituminous waterproof membrane and a 2 % pitch. 

The ZinCo system build-up Floradrain® FD 40 was just right for the planned green areas and walkways. The core element is a 40 mm high drainage and water storage element made from thermoformed recycled polyolefin. It stores water in its cells and draws off excess water to the roof outlets through an underlying channel system. These elements are then covered with the System Filter SF to prevent fine particles from penetrating the drainage layer from the overlying substrate layer. For the trees, shrubs and perennials, the system substrate “Roof Garden” was spread to a depth of 30 to 70 cm to ensure sufficient space for the root balls. The trees at Varso Place look as if they’ve always been there. They are, in fact, more than a decade old. Three years previously they were selected at a nursery, tended and then transplanted. 

The lush greenery provides protection and shade for people and adds oxygen to the air, while at the same time providing a habitat for birds and insects. An automated irrigation system is installed to ensure that the plants have sufficient water even during drought periods.

Due to its pressure resistance, the system build-up with Floradrain® FD 40 is just as suitable for walkways with paving slabs and paving stones in a grit bed. Natural wood is used in some areas to add a superior quality. In addition, the many integrated seating areas are adorned with wood.

For technical reasons, it is important for all surfaces that the Floradrain® elements are installed with the diffusion openings facing downwards so that the water can run off immediately. In this way, drainage across the entire area is ensured, regardless of the surface design.

High loads

Additional factors have to be taken into consideration when an area is also going to be a driveway. This is the case too for an emergency services access road that is used “only in emergencies”, such as the roof of the underground garage in Varso Place. 

High levels of compressive stress and horizontal loads are created when vehicles brake, turn or accelerate. This requires particularly pressure resistant drainage elements, pressure-distributing gravel base layer and firm surrounds, in addition to slip sheets. With the selected ZinCo system build-up with Stabilodrain® SD 30, the first layer installed was the extremely stable air and vapour permeable System Filter PV. The Stabilodrain® elements were then installed onto this slip sheet and grit was added to increase the pressure resistance. The next layer is the System Filter PV and the additional build-up with a gravel base layer, grit bed and paving stones.

In the spotlight

Twelve olive trees found themselves a most unusual location – the light-filled lobby of Varso Tower. The 9 m high evergreen examples of black olive trees (Bucida buceras) thrive on the ZinCo system build-up Floradrain® FD 40 and bring a large chunk of nature indoors. 

Whether it’s in the spotlight or understated and inconspicuous – greenery is everywhere. For example, the narrow strips beside the technical installations on the roofs of Varso I and Varso II have extensive greenery. The ZinCo system build-up with Floradrain® FD 25 and pre-cultivated vegetation mats was used here.

Simply perfect for people and their environment

Really, it’s a given that a contemporary building such as Varso Tower would achieve the highest level in BREEAM Environmental Certification – Outstanding. The other awards are less well known.

Varso Tower is one of the first projects in Poland to be awarded Gold as part of the WELL certification system. This system assesses the impact of buildings on the mental and physical well-being of people – for example, factors such as fresh air, water quality, lighting and acoustics are assessed. And green spaces have a direct and positive effect on health.

In addition, Varso I and Varso II have received the Eurobuild Award 2021 and the Lider Dostępności 2021 award in the category New Office and Commercial Building. Lider Dostępności is an architectural and urban planning competition in Poland that awards public buildings for their accessibility and their support of people with a disability.

Varso Place is geared in all respects towards the needs of people, and its variety of green spaces significantly enhances the quality of life in Warsaw.

Author: Fabian Kaiser, Head of International Sales, ZinCo GmbH

Site board

Construction project: Varso Place, ul. Chmielna 69-73, 00-801 Warsaw, Poland

Client: HB Reavis Investments Poland Sp. Z o.o., 02-676 Warsaw, Poland

Completed: 2022

Roof area: approx. 4,000 m²  

Green roof build-up: ZinCo system build-ups with Floradrain and Stabilodrain

Architects:     
Foster+Partners, SW11 4AN, London, United Kingdom
HRA Architekci, 02-797 Warsaw, Poland

Landscape architect: RS Architektura Krajobrazu, 00-052 Warsaw, Poland

Green roof contractors: Hadart Sp. Z o.o., 04-798 Warsaw, Poland

System supplier: ZinCo-Partner GCL Sp. Z o.o., 04-219 Warsaw, Poland

System manufacturer: ZinCo GmbH, 72622 Nürtingen, Germany