Reaching for the skies on Poland’s highest building

Located very close to the main station, the 18,000 square metre site of Varso Place had been left as a brownfield site virtually since World War II. With the construction of the 53-storey Varso Tower and the two smaller towers, the investor and international real estate developer HB Reavis Group, are creating a building project that will rejuvenate this district of the city. Varso Place will therefore become a new hub for both Polish and international businesses and leisure activities in Poland.

The entire development consists of 144,000 square metres, most of which is reserved for offices. However, the ground floor will be a public space and will be populated with cafés and restaurants as well as businesses. According to HB Reavis Group, the costs for the building project amount to an investment of 500 million euros.

Higher than the Palace of Culture and Science

Varso Tower has been designed by the famous London Architecture Practice, Foster + Partners. The main tower with its 80-metre spire will soar to 310 metres and will be the tallest building structure in Poland – and with the United Kingdom’s exit from the EU, it will even be the highest building in Europe. This accolade is currently held by “The Shard” skyscraper in London at a height of 310 metres. However, the fact remains that Varso Tower will definitely define the Warsaw skyline of the future.

There will also be a 230 metre high panoramic terrace and restaurant where future visitors to the restaurant area will be able to view the tower spire of the 237 metre Palace of Culture and Science which will have to cede its podium position as Poland’s highest building to Varso Tower.

Many different height access solutions are required

All the stakeholders are facing huge challenges in the Varso Tower project and therefore require optimum logistics during construction. The company responsible for the height access technology to be installed on-site decided on the solutions from the German manufacturer GEDA-Dechentreiter GmbH & Co. KG. Trawer, a well-known construction machinery rental company from Lesznowola and a long-standing partner of GEDA, provided the Varso Tower construction site with numerous construction hoist solutions ranging from compact wire rope lifts to practical transport platforms and enclosed person and material hoists, thus ensuring all the height access technology was supplied from one company.

GEDA BL 2000 – the new powerhouse

Wherever heavy loads have to be transported to great heights, the new GEDA BL 2000 ensures the required efficiency in the construction process. As a single and a twin variant, the new powerhouse from GEDA is available as a passenger and material hoist with a load capacity of 2,000 kg or 23 passengers and a hoisting speed of 55 m/min. The platform size of 1.45 x 3.20 x 2.10 m also allows transport of bulky goods up to a hoisting height of 250 m. For added comfort and operating convenience, the hoist is equipped with comprehensive state-of-the-art control variants.

In the current construction phase on the Varso Tower, two out of the three GEDA BL 2000 hoists are being used in the twin design with a standardised hoisting speed of 40 m/min. To make the solutions even easier to use, a remote access and remote maintenance option for the hoist is also available via an internet connection.

The GEDA BL 2000 installed on the main tower will achieve a hoisting height of 230 metres and therefore wins the gold medal for the highest GEDA hoist ever installed in Europe.

GEDA 1500 Z/ZP – the transport platform for bulky and heavy loads

The GEDA 1500 Z/ZP transport platform is also guided on two masts and provides valuable transportation services on the biggest building project currently underway in Central and Eastern Europe.

The hoist has two separate control systems and can be used either as a material hoist only or as a transport platform for passengers and materials. The transport platform control with a speed of 12 m/min is activated for transporting passengers and materials. For transporting construction materials only, the device is switched to the material hoist mode with a hoisting speed of 24 m/min.

One device, numerous possibilities: the double-mast GEDA 1500 Z/ZP transport platform ideally adapts to virtually any conditions on site thanks to the convenient modular system with 14 different platform versions and different load capacities. The large loading platform variants of the GEDA 1500 Z/ZP offer plenty of space – even for transporting particularly heavy and bulky materials.

Despite high load capacities of up to 2000 kg, the proven double mast system ensures a stable and smooth travelling motion.

Versatile rope hoist GEDA STAR 250 Comfort

Numerous GEDA STAR 250 Comfort rope hoists are being used on the Varso Tower construction site over the construction period.

Whether on new build projects or renovation work, the versatile rope hoists impress with high load capacities and very easy material transport, even under difficult conditions. The extensive range of different load handling devices such as bucket holders, plate grabbers or rock baskets allow the rope hoists of the GEDA Star series to be ideally adapted to the requirements on site.

One particularly practical feature is that the compact devices can be installed in any location at the scaffolding, in a window, between stories or on the roof. The electric winch can be separated from the swivel arm, allowing installation by one person. This then ensures the smooth and efficient transportation of up to 250 kg up to a height of 50 metres.

Completion of construction work next year

During the construction work the GEDA hoist solutions already in place on Varso Tower received further backup. In August the single-variant of the GEDA PH 2737 personnel and material hoist with a planned assembly height of 230 metres was delivered to its deployment site on Poland’s currently biggest construction project. 80 metres of this have already been installed.

The construction of Varso Tower started in 2016 and according to the plans the entire Varso Place development is scheduled for completion in 2020. By putting their diverse product range to use, the GEDA height access experts have contributed greatly to the optimum logistics and efficient work processes on this prestigious construction project.

For more information please visit our website www.geda.de and on facebook www.facebook.com/GedaDechentreiter