Catching the Spanish influence
Similar-sized populations, geographies on the same scale and recent histories of undemocratic rule followed by greater freedom characterize both nations. Now that Poland is part of a renewed Europe, companies from the sun-baked South of the continent are taking a keener interest in this country. And architectural companies, it seems, are the most optimistic pioneers of this Iberian enthusiasm for Central Europe's biggest market.
Spanish firms from other sectors related to real estate, such as Neinver in retail and Ferrovial in construction, are already quite well-established in Poland, but what the architectural practices can offer is a broader perspective on what might come to pass in the property market here in the not too distant future.
Estudio Lamela's impact on the real estate scene in Poland will be most strongly felt once the second terminal of Warsaw's Okęcie airport is completed in 2007. Back in April 2002, the firm was selected, along with construction companies Budimex and Ferrovial (with whom it has very close ties) to deliver the new terminal, and as architect of the Okęcie project, it is importing its experience from Spain, where it has designed (in a partnership with Richard Rogers) an extension to the Madrid-Barajas Airport, also under construction at the moment. Though the two terminals are very similar in terms of functionality, they differ in that the Spanish model is a free-standing building at some distance from the existing airport, whereas the challenge for the Okęcie design is to adjust the existing structure to the "new creation in the same physical space," according to Lamela. "This causes," he adds, "not only modifications to its functionality, but also a need to determine the construction phases of the extension, without interfering with the operation of the airport during the process."
As well as airports, Estudio Lamela specializes in office buildings and sporting arenas and was involved in the design of the extension to football club Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium from 2002-4. "It's not easy to do many airports," says Lamela "and it will be difficult to get any other opportunities in this field as far as Warsaw is concerned over the next ten years or so, but they could crop up in places such as Kraków or Gdansk, for example." The company's track record of working on major sporting projects, such as the one in Madrid, however, raises the tantalizing prospect of them tackling similar developments here, particularly in view of the parlous state of most football stadiums in this country. "This area is very interesting for us," says Lamela, "and we made several [important] contacts at MiPiM, including with the Warsaw city architect. We expressed our interest in the competition [that might be held] for the next big stadium at Legia." This latter is the planned 40,000-plus capacity national arena on the site where the football team Legia Warszawa currently hosts its matches.
Roman Kruszewski is a 35-year-old Polish architect who has spent most of his career working in Spain, including stints with Estudio Lamela, with whom he collaborated on the design of the Telefonica headquarters in Madrid and, indeed, the new Okęcie terminal. Most of his nine-year tenure, however, has been based at the Seville office of Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, from where he has been involved in a series of public building projects. So convinced are he and his Spanish boss as to the post-EU accession possibilities that now exist in Poland, that the firm has decided to establish its first office here in Warsaw and Kruszewski himself has decided to return home.
Kruszewski's vision of the future in Poland is that it will closely follow the dynamic course set by Spain when it became a member of the EEC. This was the catalyst for a development explosion, which, according to Kruszewski, was not only inspired by market forces. "The close relationship architects then had with politicians helped provide many interesting solutions to Spanish cities' needs," he says, adding that "more public buildings have been constructed in Spain over the last 20 years than in the rest of the country's history. It has witnessed a massive boom in public architecture." Poland, he now believes, is in line for much the same experience, especially given the influx of EU funds that is on its way here. To give a taste of the type of development that might be about to grace the market in Poland, some of the projects Kruszewski has been involved with in Spain include a water front project in Vigo, the redevelopment and extension of the town hall in Tomares, the National Museum of Sea Archaeology in Cartagena and the Spanish Marine Authority's headquarters in Cartegena.
Most of the construction that has taken place in Warsaw, in particular, since the fall of Communism has been inspired by assorted moving and shaking in the free market, and this, in Kruszewski's view, cannot be allowed to continue in such an unfettered manner now that Poland has entered a new era. Areas of the capital such as Al. Jerozolimskie (leading away from the city center beyond Plac Zawiszy) which have been characterized by what some describe as 'natural growth,' have ' evolved in the wrong direction all together, he believes. "It's 'surburban' architecture," he says of the office buildings and shopping centers on that stretch of road, "and there is no need for it because this area is so close to the city center." The philosophy he would like to see adopted in the city is one which both embraces modern innovation and respects Warsaw's pre-war heritage. "There are some people who think that you can develop imitations of the Old Town in the rest of the city, but this is too nostalgic and there's no real point to it," he says. On the other hand, he argues: "We shouldn't leave the city in the hands of market forces, because this is dangerous. [In Warsaw] we've created a kind of American model where a lot of the projects combined are just artificial suburbs." This Americanized skyline is of course represented by the dozens of multi-story buildings occupying Warsaw's CBD, which Kruszewski points out he is "not against" on principle, though he adds that his hope is that the city architect "has some new plans for the city", which will ensure that the capital's landscape will look a lot less chaotic in the years to come. Public/private partnership-led urban regeneration schemes such as have been developed in Barcelona and other Spanish cities, Kruszewski maintains, are models Warsaw would be well-advised to take note of.
As public buildings have sprouted up by the score over the past 20 years in Spain, so has greater transparency spread throughout the political and administrative realm. In Carlos Lamela's view, the system in his native land "is very flexible" and is one of the easiest countries in Europe in which to work, unlike Poland, where "procedures are very complicated, as are companies' relationships with the authorities." This of course has been a common complaint of many doing business in Poland over the past decade and one which will have to be heeded if this country is to match the remarkable progress shown by the Spanish over the past two decades.
Spanish firms from other sectors related to real estate, such as Neinver in retail and Ferrovial in construction, are already quite well-established in Poland, but what the architectural practices can offer is a broader perspective on what might come to pass in the property market here in the not too distant future.
Estudio Lamela's impact on the real estate scene in Poland will be most strongly felt once the second terminal of Warsaw's Okęcie airport is completed in 2007. Back in April 2002, the firm was selected, along with construction companies Budimex and Ferrovial (with whom it has very close ties) to deliver the new terminal, and as architect of the Okęcie project, it is importing its experience from Spain, where it has designed (in a partnership with Richard Rogers) an extension to the Madrid-Barajas Airport, also under construction at the moment. Though the two terminals are very similar in terms of functionality, they differ in that the Spanish model is a free-standing building at some distance from the existing airport, whereas the challenge for the Okęcie design is to adjust the existing structure to the "new creation in the same physical space," according to Lamela. "This causes," he adds, "not only modifications to its functionality, but also a need to determine the construction phases of the extension, without interfering with the operation of the airport during the process."
As well as airports, Estudio Lamela specializes in office buildings and sporting arenas and was involved in the design of the extension to football club Real Madrid's Bernabeu stadium from 2002-4. "It's not easy to do many airports," says Lamela "and it will be difficult to get any other opportunities in this field as far as Warsaw is concerned over the next ten years or so, but they could crop up in places such as Kraków or Gdansk, for example." The company's track record of working on major sporting projects, such as the one in Madrid, however, raises the tantalizing prospect of them tackling similar developments here, particularly in view of the parlous state of most football stadiums in this country. "This area is very interesting for us," says Lamela, "and we made several [important] contacts at MiPiM, including with the Warsaw city architect. We expressed our interest in the competition [that might be held] for the next big stadium at Legia." This latter is the planned 40,000-plus capacity national arena on the site where the football team Legia Warszawa currently hosts its matches.
Roman Kruszewski is a 35-year-old Polish architect who has spent most of his career working in Spain, including stints with Estudio Lamela, with whom he collaborated on the design of the Telefonica headquarters in Madrid and, indeed, the new Okęcie terminal. Most of his nine-year tenure, however, has been based at the Seville office of Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, from where he has been involved in a series of public building projects. So convinced are he and his Spanish boss as to the post-EU accession possibilities that now exist in Poland, that the firm has decided to establish its first office here in Warsaw and Kruszewski himself has decided to return home.
Kruszewski's vision of the future in Poland is that it will closely follow the dynamic course set by Spain when it became a member of the EEC. This was the catalyst for a development explosion, which, according to Kruszewski, was not only inspired by market forces. "The close relationship architects then had with politicians helped provide many interesting solutions to Spanish cities' needs," he says, adding that "more public buildings have been constructed in Spain over the last 20 years than in the rest of the country's history. It has witnessed a massive boom in public architecture." Poland, he now believes, is in line for much the same experience, especially given the influx of EU funds that is on its way here. To give a taste of the type of development that might be about to grace the market in Poland, some of the projects Kruszewski has been involved with in Spain include a water front project in Vigo, the redevelopment and extension of the town hall in Tomares, the National Museum of Sea Archaeology in Cartagena and the Spanish Marine Authority's headquarters in Cartegena.
Most of the construction that has taken place in Warsaw, in particular, since the fall of Communism has been inspired by assorted moving and shaking in the free market, and this, in Kruszewski's view, cannot be allowed to continue in such an unfettered manner now that Poland has entered a new era. Areas of the capital such as Al. Jerozolimskie (leading away from the city center beyond Plac Zawiszy) which have been characterized by what some describe as 'natural growth,' have ' evolved in the wrong direction all together, he believes. "It's 'surburban' architecture," he says of the office buildings and shopping centers on that stretch of road, "and there is no need for it because this area is so close to the city center." The philosophy he would like to see adopted in the city is one which both embraces modern innovation and respects Warsaw's pre-war heritage. "There are some people who think that you can develop imitations of the Old Town in the rest of the city, but this is too nostalgic and there's no real point to it," he says. On the other hand, he argues: "We shouldn't leave the city in the hands of market forces, because this is dangerous. [In Warsaw] we've created a kind of American model where a lot of the projects combined are just artificial suburbs." This Americanized skyline is of course represented by the dozens of multi-story buildings occupying Warsaw's CBD, which Kruszewski points out he is "not against" on principle, though he adds that his hope is that the city architect "has some new plans for the city", which will ensure that the capital's landscape will look a lot less chaotic in the years to come. Public/private partnership-led urban regeneration schemes such as have been developed in Barcelona and other Spanish cities, Kruszewski maintains, are models Warsaw would be well-advised to take note of.
As public buildings have sprouted up by the score over the past 20 years in Spain, so has greater transparency spread throughout the political and administrative realm. In Carlos Lamela's view, the system in his native land "is very flexible" and is one of the easiest countries in Europe in which to work, unlike Poland, where "procedures are very complicated, as are companies' relationships with the authorities." This of course has been a common complaint of many doing business in Poland over the past decade and one which will have to be heeded if this country is to match the remarkable progress shown by the Spanish over the past two decades.
