Varso Tower is the tallest skyscraper in the EU, with a height of over 310 meters.

Warsaw – The Varso Tower skyscraper has risen in the Polish capital, and a year ago, on February 20, 2021, it became the tallest structure of its kind in the European Union, exceeding 310 meters in height after the installation of its antenna. It surpassed giants in Germany's Frankfurt, Milan, and Paris, and narrowly even London's Shard. The building, which belongs to the Slovak developer group HB Reavis, was initially expected to be completed by 2020, but its opening is now anticipated this year.

The building's 80-meter steel antenna placed it at the forefront of the tallest buildings in 27 EU countries; otherwise, Varso measures 230 meters from the base to the roof. Designed by the British firm Foster+Partners, the structure includes not only office spaces but also two observation terraces overlooking the center of Warsaw. One is partially covered at a height of 205 meters and has already been adorned with mature trees since last autumn. The other is open and, at a height of 230 meters above the ground, is the highest terrace in Poland. Visitors will be transported here by two glass elevators moving at eight meters per second. At the top, there will also be a restaurant and bar with a view of central Warsaw.

A significant challenge for the builders was logistics—specifically, how to deliver materials to a relatively small site in the very heart of the city. Additionally, there was the coordination of up to thirteen hundred workers. “The structure decreases from its own weight, so such a building needs to be constructed a few centimeters taller than specified in the project to eventually achieve the correct height,” said project manager Maciej Olczyk.

The construction and leasing of spaces were also slowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. “Like the entire economy, the leasing of office spaces had a difficult time last year,” Olczyk noted. The coronavirus also affected changes to the ventilation system and cleanliness of the ventilation systems, reception protection, and contactless solutions for motion sensors at lights and doors.

The entire Varso complex consists of three buildings; besides the tallest one, there are two lower buildings measuring 90 and 81 meters. The total area of the building is 140,000 m², with the total office space area being 63,800 m². The budget is 500 million euros.

The Warsaw tower represents an important historical and symbolic change for the Polish capital. It surpasses the previously tallest building in Warsaw – the Palace of Culture and Science (PKiN) – by 73 meters, which held the title since 1955. This so-called “Stalin's gift” in the style of socialist realism is considered by some to be a gem of the metropolis, a cultural center, and a landmark, while others would prefer to tear it down as a hated symbol of communism. Such proposals occasionally come from politicians, who have not even overlooked the extravagant idea of blowing up the building. However, for decades, this building has been surrounded on all sides by taller and taller skyscrapers, and views of this dominant piece from the 1950s are gradually disappearing.