Polski Holding Nieruchomości has just announced the demolition of the Intraco skyscraper, standing for half a century at 2 Stawki Street in Warsaw. Another office building will be constructed in the place of the current building. According to the investor, the new tower has been designed with energy efficiency, high environmental standards and the continuation of Intraco’s distinctive presence in the capital’s landscape in mind.
Intraco’s history and limitations
Intraco turns 50 years old this year. That’s a lot for a skyscraper, which is why, according to the investor, despite attempts to modernise it, the building is unable to meet current technical requirements or the expectations of the office property market. For PHN, which operates as a commercial law company, the decision to demolish stems from the need to ensure the quality of the space on offer and to further develop its investment portfolio. The skyscraper was one of the first high-rise buildings in post-war Warsaw. It was built between 1973 and 1975 under the name Intraco I in the almost completely demolished Muranów district, at the junction of Stawki and Andersa streets. The investment was carried out by the Swedish company BPA Byggproduktion AB, commissioned by the Foreign Trade Enterprise “Intraco”. The building was to serve foreign technical and commercial representations.
An icon of the 1970s with plans for the future
Peter Diebitsch was responsible for the architectural design of the now iconic skyscraper. The building represents the late modernism trend, with a compact, prismatic volume and a facade made of dark green glass. The earlier ceramic facade was removed in 1998 due to the high level of wear and tear on the material. The skyscraper measures an impressive 138 metres in height, has 39 floors and offers approximately 31,500 square metres of office space. Formerly, the modern building housed, among other things, restaurants, a conference room, a bar, a kiosk, a hair salon and underground parking for 200 vehicles. Between 1975 and 1978, Intraco I was the tallest office building in the capital. At its peak, it housed as many as 60 foreign companies. A new office building, Intraco Prime, has recently been built in the immediate vicinity of the ageing tower.
The new Intraco: sustainability and the highest standards
As PHN’s management emphasises, the decision to demolish was not an easy one, but it stems from responsibility towards future users and increasing energy efficiency and safety requirements. The company has announced the start of the procedure to select a demolition contractor, with the company’s experience, environmental approach and reduction of nuisance to the surroundings being key. The planned building is expected to use environmentally friendly solutions such as photovoltaic panels on the façade, energy recovery systems, cycling infrastructure and facilities for people with disabilities. The project will comply with EU environmental taxonomy guidelines and is expected to apply for the highest levels of certification, including BREEAM, WELL, WiredScore, SmartScore and Access4You.
Architectural continuation of the idea
The architectural design was carried out by FS&P ARCUS studio under the direction of Mariusz Scisła. The new skyscraper is to measure 107 metres and have 23 floors, which is less than the current building, but with a higher standard of office space. Reducing the number of storeys will allow for better interior lighting and greater comfort for users. The appearance of the new building is to refer to the original form and fit in with the character of the neighbouring buildings, including Intraco Prime. The selection of the demolition contractor is planned for the end of 2025, and work is expected to start at the end of Q1/early Q2 2026. Details of the investment schedule will be announced once the design work has been completed. PHN stresses that the entire process will be transparent and fully accessible for the local community to view.
Source: investor materials
Also read: Warsaw | Monument | Skyscraper | History | Modernism | whiteMAD on Instagram
