Fit for purpose

By Agnieszka Kawęcka, head of business development, REESCO The Polish fit-out market primarily covers works for developers, investment funds and tenants. This division can be made on the basis of the liability risk analysis resulting from lease agreements. The last 15 years of the office space market in Poland, and therefore of the fit-out segment, have seen steady growth. We owe this, primarily to the generation of people born in the years 1975-1985, and to the values they uphold, such us conscientiousness, reliability, humility and creativity. Large international corporations have noticed and appreciated this potential, which has contributed to the fast development of business centers in the local markets, which, in turn, promote faster economic growth. If we focus only on the capital of Poland, we can say, without a doubt, that we have observed a systematic growth on the available office space market. The saturation level of the market translates directly into the intensification of fit-out activities, which for us, no doubt, is a stimulus to diversify our services and broaden our portfolio of successful projects. Following the development of the office space market for over 15 years, we have noticed the marks left by time on some pre-2005 buildings. They signal the need for modernization and create potential for designers. Current challenges for the office property market include extensive and time-consuming modernization of fairly new buildings, attempts to adapt old buildings to the requirements of new regulations (fire safety in particular), and attempts to upgrade existing office properties, taking, for example, local history factors into consideration. [negative]Current challenges for the office property market include extensive and time-consuming modernization of fairly new buildings, attempts to adapt old buildings to the requirments of new regulations (fire safety in particular), and attempts to upgrade existing office properties, taking, for example, local history factors into consideration[/negative] Practical evaluation of current trends reveals a distinct trend among large-project investors to order complex realizations of office spaces. The two factors that influence their decisions; the short completion time and the complex project implementation offered by their fit-out partners, are essential in the current business reality. In the case of extensive projects, the scope of works should be negotiated individually, and once the agreement has been reached, it is crucial to act in accordance with approved schedules and budgets. Certainly, the human factor is always important, since the completion of a large-format project requires considerable human resources. The Project Manager appointed at the very beginning of the project’s implementation process is responsible for the proper fulfillment of the schedule and the work coordination at every stage of realization. The office space market sets a high bar for our industry, therefore, investors and property owners select such partners who provide timely services, observe the planned budgets and easily adapt to often changing external factors. As the fit-out industry is undoubtedly going to face more challenges in the years to come, creativity and experience will always be highly valued.