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sneak peek into the past

Business Centre UNIQ in Vilnius is the first new office building awarded the top certificate in Lithuania and in the Baltic States. UNIQ Business Centre was developed, designed and built in compliance with the international LEED environmental certification standards. A sole tenant, namely, Danske Bank IT service centre in Lithuania (DGITL), leased the entire area. “LEED Platinum certificate demonstrates our long-term and responsible approach to the real estate development and management business,” says Kęstutis Vedeckis, Managing Director of Vastint Lithuania. “In compliance with highest environmental requirements, we aim to contribute to the mitigation of adverse environmental impact caused by industry. We took into consideration the parts that are most susceptible to energy consumption or can have a different adverse environmental impact as early as in the design stage, and tried to minimise such effects. We are happy to have our efforts awarded with the top platinum certificate.” UNIQ Business Centre was certified by the Swedish company WSP Sverige AB. The building was evaluated considering environmental impact of the construction process and construction materials, ensurance of sustainable use of resources, creation of healthy environment in the building and reduced transport pollution. “UNIQ deserved the award of a Platinum certificate. Developers implemented many factors that protect the environment,” added Oliver Pearce, LEED consultant from WSP Sverige AB. The LEED Platinum certificate was received considering the possibilities for the use of the land plot, its integrity in urban systems, namely, public transportation and accessibility, environmental criteria of the land plot, such as bicycle storage and changing rooms, “green” roof, innovative water consumption reduction technologies, water collection in the land plot, energy consumption efficiency, the use of regional materials and construction waste, innovation of indoor climate control systems and design innovation.

Find out more at Vastint Lithuania website

We wish to express our sincere appreciation and gratitude for the recognition our projects received in the past year. It is a tremendous honour for our team to be acknowledged by such esteemed organisations and committees. Amongst schemes which received honourable distinctions in 2015 are Business Garden Warsaw, Business Garden Poznan and Gdynia Waterfront.

Business Garden Warsaw received an award in the category Commercial Investments in the first edition of the national competition of the Ministry of Environment Project: Space. The competition is aimed at developers whose investments are in line with the eco-design trend and principles of sustainable development.

The jury’s motivation was based on the project’s consideration to the city and its spatial structure in terms of landscaping and commercial investment. The project combines high value and high quality architectural and landscape compositions. The jury drew attention to the creative development of the business park where there is a balance between business, relaxation, service functions and a park. In addition, it is worth emphasising thoughtful use of pro-ecological solutions, including diverse greenery and the ability to capture and re-use rainwater.

Courtyard by Marriott hotel at Gdynia Waterfront, operated by Scandinavian Hospitality Management, was recognised as the Best New Hotel in this year’s competition organised by the industry platform Brog Marketing. Profit Hotel Awards is a prize for the best hotels and accommodation facilities in Poland, to honour the work and achievements of their respective owners and staff.

Business Garden Poznan was recognised as the Best Office Development for BPO/SSC sectors by CEE Shared Services and Outsourcing Awards.

Business Garden in Poznan also won the 2015 Prime Property Prize in the category Investment of the Year – Office Market; selected by the editorial board of propertynews.pl, members of the Forum of Experts and the readers.

Lastly, the Polish Association of Construction Engineers and Technicians in cooperation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Development and the General Office of Building awarded Business Garden Poznan prize II category in the competition “Building of the Year 2014.” The award which identifies buildings with outstanding results of execution was received by general contractor PORR (Poland).

VASTINT has obtained the building permit for a second office complex in Bucharest, called Business Garden, located on 159, Calea Plevnei – Orhideea area. Business Garden Bucharest consists of three buildings, that will bring up to 41,000 m2 of class A office and retail space to the market. Construction of the first building is scheduled for the beginning of 2016 and the tendering process for selecting the general contractor is ongoing. The building permit covers the entire project – one office block of 21,000 m2 and two backdrop buildings totaling another 20,000 m2 of leasable area, in the immediate proximity of the Basarab subway stop. It is the first Business Garden complex in Romania and the sixth of its kind across Europe. The prime office location allows easy access by subway and train, as well as by car and other means of public transport. The project consists of mid-rise buildings surrounded by a garden, with efficient office layout and high standard finishes, as well as sustainable solutions in line with LEED Certification. Varied services and amenities will be provided within the complex, to support the tenants and the everyday life of their employees. “Business Garden projects represent a successful ambassador of the Vastint mission statement and values, with an already proven contribution to the quality of life through friendlier, more efficient work spaces in inspiring settings. Through Business Garden Bucharest we intend to set a higher standard for office space on the local market, mainly to the benefit of the people working here,” said Antoniu Panait – Managing Director Vastint Romania. Business Garden Bucharest is located in sector 6, with only few minutes by car to the city centre, while at the same time being adjacent to the well-established Carrefour Orhideea shopping center.

Find out more at Vastint Romania website

VASTINT laid the first cornerstone of the Timpuri Noi Square mixed-use project, designed to become a new landmark with a distinct identity in the Bucharest city center scenery – an interactive, dynamic destination providing sustainable working, leisure and living functions. Up to 100,000 m2 of office and retail space is planned for Timpuri Noi Square, with the first phase reaching nearly 53,000 m2. Construction of the first two buildings is ongoing and commissioning is planned for the beginning of 2017. Today, the centrally located Timpuri Noi area, breathes new air, as the construction of Timpuri Noi Square advances. The cornerstone was laid to officially celebrate ongoing works on the first phase of the project, featuring in total three mid-rise buildings of 50,000 m2 GLA of modern class A office space and 3,000 m2 retail space, all integrated in a dynamic and inviting plaza. During the ceremony, Antoniu Panait – Managing Director Vastint Romania, said: “Today is a very special day for us and the city. We laid the cornerstone for the Timpuri Noi Square project, representing the inaugural and central step in the profound functional revitalization and re-integration of the Timpuri Noi area, due to its ideal location, generous space and major role in the community. Timpuri Noi Square will become a reference place for the entire area, a meeting point, a destination in itself, where people can enjoy a friendlier workplace with the comfort and accessibility of a variety of facilities at hand, while at the same time they can connect with colleagues and friends at and after work.” The ceremony was traditionally accompanied by a time capsule where a foundation act, a memory stick with the design documentation, renderings and the day’s issue of a local newspaper, were inserted. The foundation act reads as follows: “Timpuri Noi Square will become more than office, retail and residential space. As one of the 5 main urban poles, crossing the city center from north to south, it will provide working, leisure and living functions, integrated into a mixed-use recreational and fun environment – a place to gather, meet and interact, a pleasant space to work and relax. This fresh concept reflects an environmentally-friendly approach to designing and building office spaces and a residential garden community. With a BREEAM certification in progress, the office development is designed in a distinctive way, with a particular accent on green solutions and energy efficiency, emphasizing quality by modern simplicity and natural stone.” Timpuri Noi Square – New times. New life. New Center. Timpuri Noi Square brings together the strengths of the well-established, heritage-filled, central Timpuri Noi area, abundant in amenities and the advanced benefits of a modern, multi-functional complex, with a total planned area of up to 100,000 m2 GLA of modern class A office, commercial and retail services and a 50,000 m2 residential garden community, all complemented by cultural and leisure facilities.

Find out more at Vastint Romania website

Vastint has acquired the Brewery site in Leeds from Carlsberg. The Brewery site is an 8.5 Ha plot in Leeds South Bank Central area in close proximity to the retail and financial quarters. Leeds station, the River Aire waterfront and the vibrant Calls area are also close by. The Tetley in the centre of the main site remains in the ownership of Carlsberg UK and will continue in operation. Carlsberg UK will retain a presence in the office building on site, Tetley’s House. Vastint plans to bring forward the redevelopment of the site in line with the aims and objectives of the Leeds City Council South Bank Planning Statement to create a vibrant, well connected and sustainable residential and business community. “We are excited about securing this opportunity in Leeds, which is a key milestone in the growth of Vastint’s operations in the UK. It is really special to have the chance to contribute to the regeneration of the South Bank area, having the potential to bring considerable benefits to the city,” says Andrew Cobden, Managing Director, Vastint UK Services Ltd. “We’re looking forward to engaging with all key stakeholders to bring forward a scheme that is in step with the council vision”. Bruce Ray, Corporate Affairs Director, Carlsberg UK said: “Over recent months we have completed a review of all of the proposals submitted by interested parties. We are pleased to have agreed a deal with Vastint, whose plan carries with it a commitment to respect the site’s history and heritage. We’d like to express our gratitude to all of the interested parties and local stakeholders that we have been working with so closely during this period. We now look forward to supporting Vastint on the next stage of the process.” The Brewery site is the second large scale mixed use development in the UK undertaken by Vastint, the first being Strand East, a 10 Ha development in Stratford, London. Vastint was advised by Lambert Smith Hampton and Carlsberg UK were advised by Colliers.

Find out more at Vastint United Kingdom website

Vastint Poland was recently awarded LEED Platinum certificates for four buildings comprising the first stage of the Business Garden in Poznan. The project was pre-certified LEED Core & Shell Gold, but the implemented technical solutions and choice of materials produced a higher level final certification. “To my knowledge, Business Garden Poznan is one of the first projects in Poland located outside the city centre, which received this highest certification. Points obtained have mainly been awarded for the high standard of buildings and solutions reducing energy and water consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and quantities of produced waste and for our commitment to achieving high-quality work environments,” said Roger Andersson, Managing Director of Vastint Poland. Of particular interest in the complex, are the solutions for effectively managing water and energy consumption. Thus, the combination of extensive plants and domestic plant types well-adjusted to local weather conditions minimises the heat island effect, contributes to local biological diversity, and minimises water consumption to the extent that no permanent watering system is needed. At the same time, rainwater is retained on the roofs and in special tanks. This helps to limit the quantity of rainwater that is discharged to the municipal sewer system whereas in case of heavy rain surrounding streets would be flooded. Furthermore, the taps installed in the toilets are designed to restrict the flow of water and saves up to 6.8 million litres of water per year. It is also worth noting that thanks to the quality and high energy efficiency rating of the façade materials and the use of appropriate technical solutions, the buildings use 46% less energy than typical office buildings designed in line with ASHRAE requirements. Business Garden is located in the Marcelin District of Poznan, at the intersection of Marcelińska and Bułgarska streets. In the future, the complex will comprise nine modern office buildings. The first four buildings with a leasable area of 42,000 m² out of the planned 80,000 m², were commissioned at the beginning of this year. They are compact, with vast green areas and a rich range of additional amenities such as a kindergarten or a restaurant. The office spaces are flexible and can be adapted or expanded to suit business needs, thus the park offers ideal conditions for business process outsourcing (BPO) and shared service solution (SSC) companies.

Find out more at Vastint Poland website

The first stage of the multi-functional Gdynia Waterfront complex, which is being constructed between Sea Towers and Kościuszki Square at President’s Bay in Gdynia has been completed. The complex consisting of two office and hotel buildings commissioned at the beginning of June 2015 provided 20,000 m² out of the planned 90,000 m² of leasable space. The office building is to be used as PKO BP offices and a four star hotel is going to operate under the Marriott Courtyard brand. The office building has 11 floors, two more than the hotel. The structure of the building, and in particular the ceiling joists span which is non-standard in Poland and the lack of structural elements on certain floors makes it possible to freely arrange the interiors. On the groundfloor of the building there will be a bank branch and a coffee shop with the front facing the sea. The Marriott Courtyard Hotel operated by Scandinavian Hospitality Management was opened in the beginning of June. The hotel is mainly dedicated to business clients. It has 200 rooms and a conference centre consisting of nine conference rooms, the largest of which can accommodate 470 people. Guests can also use a fitness club, bar and restaurant located on the ground floor. There is one common basement for both buildings which comprises a single-level garage hall with 120 parking spaces, locker rooms and showers for cyclists. The buildings of the Gdynia Waterfront complex use a number of modern technologies controlled by two building intelligence systems: KNX (a system for networking and controlling building technology) and BMS (building management system). It is worth noting that the air-conditioning system based on chilled beams uses sea water for cooling, while the installed elevators in the buildings are equipped with power-regenerative function. The “clean drive” technology reduces the use of energy by about 30%, and recovered by the crane drives power is transmitted directly to the power grid from which buildings are supplied with electricity.

Find out more at Vastint Poland website

Today the Courtyard by Marriott hotel opened at Atlas ArenA Amsterdam. A little more than one year after the first pile was driven, on 13 March 2014 to be precise, the hotel was officially handed over and the first guests were welcomed in a festive atmosphere.

Courtyard by Marriott hotel

The luxurious and contemporary hotel is the latest hotel in Amsterdam Zuidoost. It is 8,950 m² in size and has 176 comfortable guest rooms, four large conference rooms, two boardrooms and ample restaurant and bar facilities. These include the Gård – Nordic Kitchen restaurant serving Scandinavian dishes. The hotel is a superb asset for users of and visitors to Atlas ArenA Amsterdam.

The construction of the hotel is literally building on the success of Atlas ArenA Amsterdam.

The very first hotel in the Netherlands with BREEAM-NL certificate

The hotel at Atlas ArenA Amsterdam is the first hotel in the Netherlands to be awarded a BREEAM-NL New Construction certificate by the Dutch Green Building Council.

BREEAM-NL is well known as a sustainability quality mark in the market for large offices and districts, but never before has the design of a hotel been assessed according to BREEAM-NL standards. The Courtyard by Marriott hotel at Atlas ArenA Amsterdam achieved the sustainability score even though there was no specific quality mark for hotels, making it impossible to score credits for certain aspects of the building.

Today a lease agreement was signed between Vastint, the developer of business centre UNIQ, and its future tenant, DGITL, the IT service centre of Danske Bank in Lithuania. This is one of the biggest transactions in the Lithuanian office market and is unique because the entire building will be leased by one single tenant.

DGITL plans to set up in UNIQ, which is located at the junction of Lukiškių and Gynėjų streets and will be completed this October. “Ever since our centre began operating, we’ve offered our employees an exclusive approach to work and responsibilities that cannot be found elsewhere. We’re going to create a unique working environment in our new office. We want our fast growing team to have the best working conditions in Lithuania, and we will meet this goal in our new office,” Giedrius Dzekunskas, head of DGITL, said.

According to Kęstutis Vedeckis, manager of Vastint Lithuania, DGITL appreciated the comfort created in the workplace and the greenness and high quality standards of the building. The most efficient technological solutions are being installed in the business centre, ensuring the optimal physical parameters of the workplace automatically according to the changing surrounding conditions. “Danske bank appreciated our innovative ideas brought to Lithuania and our effort to put in setting new real estate development standards,” Mr Vedeckis said. “We hope that together with the tenant we will successfully develop the ‘concept of an office with elements of home’ in Lithuania.”

The idea of an office with elements of home is being implemented in the business centre by designating some of the space for the personal needs of employees. In the business centre, there will be special rest zones, a gym, rest and play rooms, and charging points for electric vehicles. “Our aim was to consider the needs of the various people who will work here and promote an environmentally friendly and healthy lifestyle,” Mr Dzekunskas said.

Martynas Babilas, head of the Baltic Service Group for the office division of Newsec, the real estate company that mediated the transaction, said that big tenants currently looking for new offices have become increasingly ambitious and demanding of builders and lessors as they realise that a comfortable workplace also contributes to their attractiveness as employers. “This is a perfect example of how a lessor has developed a product meeting the expectations of the biggest tenants and found a solid client as early as the construction phase of the project,” Mr Babilas said.

This transaction is one of the biggest in the office market in Vilnius. Although the office market has been supplemented by 55,000 m² of new offices for the 2014–2015 period, almost all the new offices have already been snapped up. According to information provided by Newsec, with the transaction between Danske Bank and Vastint, scarcely 5% of free office space will be left. New supply will enter the market only in Q2 2016 with the opening of the business centre Quadrum.

Vastint Poland recently completed the first phase of the Business Garden office complex in Poznań. Upon completion, the real estate market in Poznań gained 42,000 m² of office and retail space with excellent access to town infrastructure. The Business Garden, located at the intersection of Marcelińska and Bułgarska Streets in Marcelin, is one of the three business parks developed by Vastint under this brand in Poland. The first four out of nine buildings with a total leasable area of 42,000 m² were constructed. The newly completed complex is characterised by unique compact architecture, a large percentage of green areas and solutions which ensure a comfortable working environment. In addition to office space, the complex will offer a number of services and amenities that support businesses, such as conference rooms and services dedicated to office workers, including but not limited to a post office, bank, dry cleaner’s, retail stores and a canteen. Further facilities, such as a kindergarten, will be opened as per tenants’ needs. Key building and technical solutions in the complex create a pleasant working environment for tenants and ensure cost optimisation during their operation period, with simultaneous reduction of negative impacts on the environment. The project was awarded LEED Gold precertification, but the developer intends to obtain a LEED Platinum certificate. Business Garden excellently realises the strategy adopted by the Town of Poznań to develop Marcelin through the reinforcement of its investment attractiveness and strengthening its position as a centre of high-level services. The investor and developer of the project is Vastint Poland, forming part of the Property Division of the Inter IKEA Group. The design was created by the architect studios Ahlqvist & Almqvist Arkitekter and Arcade Polska, and the general contractor was PORR (Polska).

Find out more at Vastint Poland website

Vastint Latvia SIA has signed an agreement with Merks Ltd for the construction of two residential buildings at Antonijas Street 17A to establish the first round of the development of the Magdelena Quarter. The work will include infrastructural links, closed car parks and a well-appointed green zone. The plan is to complete work on the buildings by the summer of 2016. The Magdelena Quarter will be a high-quality and dynamic space for life, work and leisure. It will be located in the quiet centre of Rīga between Antonijas, Emiļa Melngaiļa and Strēlnieku streets. Not so long ago the quiet centre was associated with the embassy district, where people could stroll around and enjoy Art Nouveau architecture. In recent years, however, its role in the city has been well expanded, offering the dwellers’ of Rīga and the city’s guests a wide range of opportunities for leisure, space for living and working. “It is nice that the Magdelena project will transform the specific quarter, and then also a beautiful and so far underappreciated part of the quiet centre of Rīga,” says Vastint Latvia SIA board member Romāns Astahovs. “The fact that the popular Rossini restaurant has moved to a location on Antonijas Street alongside the Magdelena project indicates that we are not the only one to see the potential of this place.” The first part of the project will involve the construction of two six-floor residential buildings with 109 flats, three commercial areas and seven flats based on the “live-work” principle that is popular in Europe, with a private area on the second floor and a working zone on the first floor. The project will feature a green yard on the roof of the car park between the two buildings. The first floors of the buildings will also have auxiliary rooms for the needs of each flat, as well as commercial facilities. The construction will involve modern and proven building materials to create a high-quality and comfortable living space, allowing future owners to maintain their properties more effectively. The Magdelena Quarter is being developed by Vastint Latvia SIA, which is part of the international real estate Vastint Group, which has 25 years of experience and has been actively present in the Latvian market since 2003 (until September 2014 it was known as SIA Larix Property). The first buildings are designed by SIA Didrihsons Arhitekti.

Find out more at Vastint Latvia website

news archive

sneak peek into the past

UNIQ Business Centre awarded with a LEED Platinum certificate

Thank you for the recognition in Poland

Vastint obtains building permit for Business Garden Bucharest

Vastint lays cornerstone of Timpuri Noi Square

Vastint purchases land at former Leeds Brewery site

Four buildings comprising Business Garden Poznan Phase I have been certified LEED Platinum

The first stage of Gdynia Waterfront has been completed

Opening of Courtyard by Marriott hotel at Atlas ArenA Amsterdam

IT Unit of Danske Bank to set up in UNIQ Business Centre

Construction of Business Garden Poznań completed

Magdelena Quarter aims to extend quiet centre of Rīga