Discover Diuna – a park instead of a car-park and a new name

The metamorphosis of the Marynarska Business Park office complex currently being carried out in Warsaw’s Służewiec district by PineBridge Benson Elliot and Syrena Real Estate is on its final straight. Work has come to an end in the outdoor area, where instead of a 6,000 m² of a concrete car park, a park open to the city has been created, covered with green hills. The project is also changing its name to Diuna.

The metamorphosis of the office complex on Taśmowa Street is the initiative of PineBridge Benson Elliot and Syrena Real Estate. The proprietary modernisation programme covers three areas: the external area and surroundings of the buildings, the entrance lobbies of the four office buildings and improvements to the ventilation, heat and air conditioning systems, which will lead to a significant improvement in the energy efficiency of the entire project.

An energy audit carried out prior to the modernisation process resulted in the introduction of a number of solutions to improve the performance of the building systems, e.g. CO2-dependent control of ventilation, installation of VAV ventilation systems, airflow control and replacement of coolers to achieve energy savings of up to 22%, according to models prepared by JW+A. In addition, an intelligent building control system based on artificial intelligence is being implemented, which is expected to result in up to 11.6% savings in energy consumed by HVAC systems according to a model prepared by the programme owner’s contractor. Water consumption has been reduced by regulating the flow rates of fittings in common areas, a leak detection and prevention system has been introduced, and a rainwater harvesting tank has been installed. The project placed great emphasis on applying circular economy principles. All of the greenery from the original square has been distributed to the tenants, some of the construction materials have already found a new use in the project, and other stored elements are awaiting a second life.

Diuna is changing the business face of Służewiec and setting a new direction that office buildings must follow to be an attractive space for investors, tenants and the local community. The new name of our project is the symbolic start of the next sustainable stage in its life. The most important works related, among others, to the creation of a new, open-access park, which is a show-piece of the entire complex, have come to an end.

– says Witold Zatoński, the founder of Syrena Real Estate.

The MJZ architectural studio is responsible for the design of the new version of the investment. The concrete patio has been transformed into a park, full of trees and native vegetation. In order to achieve a coherent and friendly environment, the whole was connected by an undulating area covered with vegetation. The hills were built with lightweight materials so as not to disturb the underground structure. The foundation slab of the underground garage is supported by 50 columns, which served as structures for the foundation of 50 trees placed in special pots. This work has resulted in the creation of a green dune, which is overgrown with 12 species of trees (50 trees) and 96 types of shrubs. This is indigenous greenery, essential for sustainable projects.

The Diuna patio was designed according to the concept of biophilic design, which assumes that humans have an innate tendency to seek connections with nature and belong to the natural world. The hills and the alleys situated between them create intimate spaces filled with vegetation, where one can calm down and get away from everyday life. Between our green dunes, you can stroll, relax or enjoy a cup of coffee. We believe that for tenants and their employees, mental health is just as important as physical health, which is why we wanted greenery and nature influencing human well-being to play the first fiddle in this place.

– says Maciej Jakub Zawadzki of MJZ Studio.

The courtyard of Diuna has been landscaped with a flower meadow, there is also a stream and an educational open pavilion with a roof covered with extensive vegetation, which acts as water retention. The complex is screened from traffic by anti-smog screens totalling 416 m². The patio is pedestrian and bicycle friendly. The former entrance area on the side of Taśmowa Street has been turned into a woonerf and the entire area has been excluded from car traffic, only short-term stops are possible. Diuna also offers a new infrastructure dedicated to cyclists, who have at their disposal a single-track car park with 114 spaces on the underground level, a changing room with showers, four chargers for electric bicycles, self-repair bases, as well as ground-level racks. Car parking, on the other hand, is located in the three-level underground garage, where 1,300 spaces are available for motorised tenants and guests of the complex.

The four building reception areas have also been transformed, with huge artistic sculptures as a common feature. There are modern works and meeting areas. Tenants can make use of a new 250m² conference centre, where four rooms, a room for parents with children and a kitchen have been made available to users of the complex. The interiors also feature successive works of art by Polish and foreign artists. Łoskiewicz Studio is responsible for the metamorphosis of the complex’s interiors and its new visual identity.

Completion of all the works at Diuna is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year. Work is still underway on the external areas located behind the buildings of the complex. Reesco Group is responsible for the redevelopment, and cmT Group for the project management.

Diuna (formerly Marynarska Business Park) consists of 4 office buildings with a total usable area of 46,000 m². Companies based here include: Accord, NewCold, Colgate, Daikin Europe, Eurocash, Ford, JDE, Oceanic, S.C Johnson, Sitel, Business Lease, Leasing Team and WDX. The complex also houses a Luxmed clinic and a ‘Gorąco Polecam’ café. The complex has a WELL Health & Safety Rating and WIREDSCORE certification at a Silver level. Following the completed refurbishment, Diuna will apply for Breeam In-Use certification under the new v6 system. A team of experts from JW+A is responsible for advising on the project’s certification process. The developer is also working with the Integration Foundation to make the investment as suitable as possible for people with disabilities.