The Katowice skyline is set to be enhanced by another high-rise building, which will be situated in the immediate vicinity of Spodek and the Culture Zone. Konior Studio has drawn up a preliminary concept for a 133-metre tower at 1 Chorzowska Street. The design of the apartment block is still at an early stage, whilst all the details remain under discussion with local residents.
The Chorzowska 1 skyscraper to replace a bank
The new building is to be constructed on a plot by the Gen. Jerzy Ziętek roundabout, opposite the Spodek and in the vicinity of the International Congress Centre, the NOSPR and the .KTW complex. The developer is MTX Development, whilst Tomasz Konior’s Katowice-based Konior Studio is responsible for the design. Preliminary plans indicate the tower will be approximately 133 metres tall and have 34 storeys above ground. The skyscraper will replace the existing building at Chorzowska 1, which in recent years has been associated with Bank Pekao. It was originally built as the ‘Elegancja’ Fashion House and, in 1994, underwent a thorough refurbishment designed by Gabriel Korbut, Krzysztof Kałużny and Michał Tomanek of the PLAAN architectural practice. A year later, the project received an honour from the Katowice Province Governor and the SARP. Bank Pekao vacated the building in March 2026, relocating its operations to the .KTW complex.
133 metres and 332 flats
According to the current design, the tower will have three underground storeys and 34 above-ground storeys. The skyscraper is set to accommodate around 332 flats and approximately eight commercial premises on the ground floor. One of the most interesting features of the design is a large terrace on the fifth floor. It is to cover approximately 555 square metres and be connected to the commercial premises. The total area of spaces available to the wider public is expected to be approximately 2,440 square metres. Above this will be 26 residential storeys. This layout will clearly separate the lower, urban section from the upper residential section.
A terrace overlooking the Spodek
The designers place great emphasis on the ground floor and the fifth floor. The ground floor is to house retail, catering and service premises, whilst the elevated terrace is intended to be a meeting place – accessible even to those who do not live in the tower block. The architects are drawing on the idea of ‘private public space’ – a place owned by a private owner but open to a wider group of users. The plot’s strategic location means the new tower will feature prominently in Katowice’s skyline. According to the concept presented, the tower will be approximately 25 metres from the nearest block of flats. It is precisely the tower’s height, the potential for it to cast a shadow over flats and its impact on the surrounding area that have become the main topics of discussion. The first public meeting between the developer, architects and local residents took place on 20 August 2026.
Chorzowska 1 – the design is still subject to change
The nearly 133-metre-tall tower is not yet a finalised design. The design presented in August is at the preliminary concept stage, and some details, including the colour scheme of the façade, have not yet been finalised. Proceedings regarding planning permission are also underway. The developer and architects have announced further discussions with residents. The next meeting, scheduled for 15 September 2026 at the International Congress Centre, is set to focus primarily on mobility, parking, pedestrian and cycle traffic, and public transport. Chorzowska 1 marks the next phase of developments in the area around the Gen. Jerzy Ziętek roundabout. The new building is expected to be similar in height to the taller .KTW tower, which stands at approximately 133 metres. Its construction will therefore have an impact on the entire skyline of this part of Katowice, and the discussion surrounding the project also concerns the relationship between the high-rise buildings and the Spodek, the Superjednostka and the lower-rise developments in Koszutka.
Konior Studio – Tomasz Konior’s architectural practice
The Chorzowska 1 project is being led by Katowice-based Konior Studio, an architectural practice headed by Tomasz Konior. The practice has been operating for over 30 years and its portfolio includes cultural, educational, residential and commercial buildings, such as the ‘Symfonia’ Centre for Science and Music Education, the NOSPR Gardens, Supersam and the Dworcowa Quarter. The studio’s most famous project in Katowice is the NOSPR headquarters, completed in 2014. The design was selected in a competition in 2008, and the building received the Minister of Culture and National Heritage Award as well as a nomination for the Mies van der Rohe Award.
Source: Konior Studio
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