Topping-out Ceremony on Bednarska Street – A Milestone for the University of Warsaw Investment

On Monday, June 22, a topping-out ceremony took place at the construction site at 2/4 Bednarska Street in Warsaw. It symbolizes the reaching of the highest structural point of the new University of Warsaw building. For KARMAR S.A., the general contractor, this is a significant moment in the project's realization.

The event was attended by representatives of the university authorities, public administration, the academic community, as well as project partners – including the substitute investor, ZBM S.A., and the architectural studio, BBGK Architekci.

The new facility in Warsaw’s Powiśle district will become a modern space for students, doctoral candidates, and staff, including those from the Faculty of Journalism, Information and Book Studies and the Faculty of Economic Sciences. The building will house specialized television, radio, and photography studios, a Media Research Laboratory, a main auditorium for 250 people, classrooms, and common spaces, including patios and recreational terraces. The Academic Radio Kampus will also have its headquarters there.

– "The construction on Bednarska Street is one of the largest investments of the University of Warsaw. We constantly strive to provide our students, doctoral candidates, and staff with the best possible conditions for education and work. We are convinced that they will foster excellent research and world-class teaching. We are now symbolically summarizing an important stage of work on the path to this goal," emphasized Prof. Alojzy Z. Nowak, Rector of the University of Warsaw.

The investment, valued at approximately 255 million PLN, covers a building with an area of nearly 19,200 m², which will be connected to the historical Teodozja Majewska Baths. The project assumes the use of environmentally friendly solutions and full accessibility for all users.

– "The University of Warsaw is developing in a thoughtful and responsible manner, creating places that foster cooperation, openness, and the building of an academic community. The building on Bednarska Street will be a modern and functional environment for work and learning, responding to the needs of contemporary users. This is another investment that strengthens the University's development potential and creates conditions for realizing its strategic goals. We carry out investments that combine high-quality architecture with the principles of sustainable development and create conditions for the development of the academic community," said Prof. Ewa Krogulec, Vice-Rector of the University of Warsaw for Development.

At the construction site at 2/4 Bednarska Street, key preparatory and construction works, including demolition work, have been completed. The reinforced concrete structure, including the installation of balconies, has been finished. Currently, masonry work, roof insulation, and thermal and acoustic insulation are underway. In the near future, the next stages of work are planned, including the installation of facades and interior construction works.

"Bednarska is one of the largest and most important investments currently being carried out by the University of Warsaw. We are creating a space that will serve the development of modern teaching, scientific research, and cooperation with the social and economic environment. This is an investment designed with the coming decades of the university's functioning in mind, and for the place the University of Warsaw wants to occupy in the future. We are convinced that the new building will become not only an important place for the academic community but also a lasting element of Warsaw’s urban fabric and the further development of Powiśle," - noted Robert Grey, Chancellor of the University of Warsaw. "We have not seen a project managed so dynamically in a long time," he added, thanking the KARMAR team for the work done so far.

The investment, carried out in the dense, historical fabric of Powiśle, constitutes a particular engineering and logistical challenge for us, requiring precision and close cooperation from all participants in the construction process.

– "For us, as the general contractor, this is a fascinating yet demanding challenge. Today, right next to the historic Teodozja Majewska Baths, we are combining history with modernity," said Anna Wójcik-Mickiewicz, President of the Management Board of KARMAR S.A. "We are extremely proud that we can carry out a project of such great educational and social importance. As part of the international Bouygues Group, we bring to this investment our global experience in creating innovative facilities. Projects of this type fully reflect our overarching slogan 'building for life' – because we build with the future in mind and with care for the natural environment." 
"Today's ceremony is primarily a celebration for the people of the construction site. I would like to take this opportunity to extend my warm thanks to the entire KARMAR team and to our partners with whom we are realizing this investment".