The race to break 231 meters

Over the last few years, Poland has been following - or trying to follow - the worldwide trend of erecting quality high-rise buildings. "Without a doubt there is a fashion for building skyscrapers - there are some interesting projects [on the way] even in Paris, where in the past nobody would have dreamt of these types of buildings," said Piotr Tarkowski, the proxy for communications of the management board at Invest Komfort.

This trend has recently intensified in Poland, with new skyscrapers - often designed by world-class architects - planned both in Warsaw and other large cities across the country. Architectural currents have undoubtedly influenced this, but the growing price of land, especially in city centers, may have had an even stronger impact as taller buildings have become more profitable to construct than low-standing structures.

"The prices of plots have gone up and if you have a plot of a few thousand square meters it's better to build a 15- or 20-storey building than one with fewer stories," added Dominik Witkiewicz, an analyst from King Sturge.

In addition to financial appeal, skyscraper projects carry a good deal of prestige. They make valuable additions to developers' portfolios and can become landmarks that any city would like as part of their skyline. "Cities want to have skyscrapers - even Olsztyn, which is only a small city with a population of approximately 200,000, is planning to change its local planning and zoning regulations to allow for taller buildings to be constructed," said Henryk Bilski, a negotiator at King Sturge.

Tri-city triumvirate

One significant project that is near completion and will almost certainly become a landmark as well as a flagship project for its developer is Invest Komfort's Sea Towers in Gdynia. The core structure of the building has already been constructed and the project is scheduled for delivery in the first quarter of 2009. The taller of the two towers comprising the development will reach 138 meters in height, and both will offer luxury apartments as well as office and service space.

At the moment, Sea Towers is the highest structure in Tri-city, but this may not last forever. Hossa, a local developer, has plans to erect a zł.300-million building in Gdańsk called Big Boy Building. At 202 meters, the Big Boy Building would be the tallest structure in the area and would house a hotel as well as luxury apartments. Construction is due to start at the end of this year.

If all goes according to plan, Tri-city may also see the 220-meter Brama Wolności project come to fruition. The skyscraper, which has been proposed by Spanish investment group Labaro, would comprise two towers connected by a passage on the ground floor. The project is to be situated on a brownfield site near the Gdańsk shipyard and would be completed in 2010.

Other projects on the way

Another skyscraper scheduled for completion in 2010 is Sky Tower in Wrocław. This building will have 30 storeys and, like Brama Wolności, will stand 220 meters tall. Sky Tower will be located near the Sikorski Bridge and will offer luxury apartments as well as office space and shopping and recreation facilities.

Poznań may also see a state-of-the-art skyscraper added to its skyline soon. Developer Wechta is in the process of applying for a building permit for a 148-meter building designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. The edifice would be located on

Al. Niepodległości, but before construction starts, the developer also has to receive approval from the Civil Aviation Office. The project is also scheduled for delivery in 2010.

A Polish Manhattan?

In no other city is investors' interest in high-rise architecture as visible as in Warsaw. In 2007, the city saw a plethora of spectacular new projects. Some of these, such as the as-yet-unnamed projects from Chmielna Development and Lilium - standing 282-meters and 250-meters tall respectively - would set new height standards if completed.

Some 27 skyscrapers are already planned in the capital's central districts of Śródmieście and Wola alone. Another 10 are expected to spring up in other parts of the city in the next few years.

According to Paweł Grząbka, managing director of CEE Property Group, the recent boom in the development of high-rise buildings can be attributed to Warsaw's current authorities' vision of the city center and positive attitude towards such projects.

"It suffices to look at what kinds of buildings were previously envisioned by urban planners on the plots where some of the planned towers are now going to be erected - it was basically low-rise architecture," he said.

Grząbka also pointed out that Warsaw generally offers appropriate conditions for constructing tall buildings. With relatively stable ground and its airport located some way from the center, investors don't face many situationally mandated height limitations.

According to Jerzy Skrzypczak, architect of Warsaw's Marriott and Warsaw Financial Center buildings in the city center, there are no regulations that would explicitly prohibit a project from passing the 231-meter mark.

"That we now have projects in Warsaw of ever taller buildings is mainly due to the development of technology, as well as to economic factors," Skrzypczak said.

Warsaw's shifting skyline

All of that, along with investors' desires to fully exploit the potential of their dearly bought land, is now likely to change the pattern of skyscraper distribution across the city.

"It all follows logically. Investors want to build state-of-the-art skyscrapers in the city center as the prices of land are so high that they simply cannot afford to build low-rise, low-quality buildings," said Bilski.

Some of the present city authorities' decisions suggest that the previously endorsed plan of concentrating high-rise buildings to the west of ul. Emilii Plater could be modified soon. In 2007, the city's top officials declared that the currently-under-revision local zoning plan for the area around the Palace of Culture and Science could provide for the construction of skyscrapers, at least to its west.

Warsaw's center, however, could potentially see a competitor for spectacular buildings arise across the Vistula River. A few local zoning plans are being considered for areas in the Praga Północ and Praga Południe districts of Warsaw, with a view to revamping them prior to the Euro 2012 soccer championships. Among the plans being considered for the Port Praski area, one calls for skyscrapers to be allowed. Were this plan to be enacted, it could give Warsaw an alternative city center.