Skanska Residential Development Poland is known for its barrier-friendly developments for all users, including people with mobility, sight and hearing impairments. More and more of the company’s residential developments meet the stringent requirements of the “Barrier-free Facility” certificate awarded by the Integration Foundation. At the end of January 2024, the portfolio of projects that successfully passed the certification process expanded to include Holm House 4 and Nu! Warsaw Wola 1.
“More and more facilities adapted to the needs of people with disabilities are being built in Poland – this is a very positive trend, but there is still a lot to be done. Creating inclusive urban spaces requires awareness and social sensitivity on the part of legislators, architects, developers and investors. This type of project is being implemented by Skanska, which has decided to subject most of its investments to our audits. It is on its initiative that we have also been certifying residential developments since 2018. We are happy that more barrier-free facilities have been built in Warsaw and we hope that places like Holm House and Nu! Warszawa Wola will be more and more,” says Kamil Kowalski, Director of the Integracja LAB research and development centre, operating as part of the Integracja Foundation.
“Caring for people is one of the basic values we are guided by at Skanska, which is why when designing housing estates we attach great importance to the accessibility of buildings and their surroundings for people of different life situations and ages, as well as those with limited mobility. The “Barrier-free building” certificate is particularly important for our customers with disabilities, but in practice, their friendly solutions, such as appropriate ramps, handles, doors with handles for easier opening or benches with armrests, are also very much appreciated by other residents, such as parents with small children or seniors with slightly reduced mobility,” emphasises Agnieszka Karwala, Senior Project Manager at Skanska Residential Development Poland.
Skanska has been setting standards in Poland in terms of universal construction for years. The first Polish residential development to be certified as a ‘Barrier-free building’ was Holm House 1. The fourth stage of this development recently passed the certification process. Almost the entire housing estate is distinguished by a minimal number of kerbs and steps. Getting around is significantly facilitated by ramps, barrier-free entrances and lifts, lightweight doors, switches at appropriate heights, a voice information system and very good colour contrasts in the communal spaces. Furthermore, in the certified phases of the development, some of the flats have been adapted to the needs of people with various degrees and types of disabilities. In Holm House 4, as many as 40 per cent of the apartments have no architectural barriers, such as thresholds at the entrance to the balcony.
Residents of the first stage of Nu! Warsaw Wola, one of Skanska’s latest residential developments, which has also received the “Barrier-free building” certificate. “Nu” means “here and now” in Swedish and encourages people to enjoy life to the full. To ensure that everyone can enjoy its charms, the development has been designed to allow safe and easy movement around the site, as well as the use of amenities arranged in the common areas. An example is the playground, where some of the equipment is adapted for children with disabilities.
The ‘Barrier-Free Facility’ certificate has been awarded by the Integration Foundation since 2013. It means that an investment is adapted to the needs of people with various motor, visual and hearing disabilities and is friendly to the elderly and carers with young children. The certificate can be awarded to, among others, public buildings, office and retail properties, service premises and housing estates. The prerequisite is a positive result of an architectural accessibility audit, which comprises two stages. In the first, experts from the foundation are consulted on the project. In the case of housing developments, the analysis includes, among other things, the landscaping of the external area, the architecture of the flats and common areas and selected installations. All elements audited at the design stage are also reviewed at the implementation stage.
The second audit takes place after the occupancy permit has been granted and covers the flats, the immediate surroundings of the buildings, parking spaces, entrances, accessibility of vertical communication and essential rooms (such as service areas, reception areas or security rooms), colours, furnishings and lighting. The entire process, which takes about three weeks, involves Integracja auditors and experts in architectural accessibility. At the end of the audit, the foundation draws up a report, which forms the basis for a decision on the potential award of a ‘Barrier-Free Facility’ certificate.
