Hold on tight! First tilting viewing platform in Europe and highest in Poland opens in Warsaw
Set to become one of Poland’s most unusual attractions, a 46th floor viewpoint is to open to fearless members of the public on top of the Warsaw UNIT skyscraper in the centre of the capital.
Briefly opened for a press preview late last week, Skyfall Warsaw will be a one-of-a-kind attraction the like of which has not been seen before anywhere else in the world.
Perched nearly 200-metres off the ground, visitors will have the chance to step out across a quadrupled-glazed glass floor jutting out from the main body of the building.
Combining elements of the glass-floored Skydeck in Chicago’s Willis Tower and the swinging Tilt in the 360 skyscraper in the same city, Skyfall Warsaw has fused these two concepts to offer a completely unique and terrifying experience.
Perched nearly 200-metres off the ground, visitors will have the chance to step out across a quadrupled-glazed glass floor jutting out from the main body of the building.
The glass encased cabin tilts to an angle of 15 degrees while the sound of blood-curdling, pre-recorded screams are piped all around.
Having gripped onto the handrails in front, they will then have the sensation of falling – mounted onto a customized boom, the glass encased cabin tilts to an angle of 15 degrees while the sound of blood-curdling, pre-recorded screams are piped all around.
For those not too terrified to keep their eyes open, the platform offers sweeping 270 degree views of Warsaw with sightlines stretching right across the city.
According to Jeroen van der Toolen of Ghelamco, the building’s developer, the idea for Skyfall Warsaw was born from the firm’s commitment to connecting with the city’s residents: “We strive to make the skyscrapers we build open to the inhabitants of Warsaw,” he said.
“The Warsaw Spire has Plac Europejski, whilst the Warsaw HUB boasts a unique link that directly connects it to the metro. We wanted the Warsaw UNIT to also offer its own highlight to the people of Warsaw.”
Also slated to open in the evenings, it is then that the experience is most challenging say employees.
As it transpired, inspiration was found directly across the road at one of Ghelamco’s flagship projects, the Warsaw Spire.
“During the popular Night of Museums we invited people to our office located on the 41st floor of the Warsaw Spire,” says van der Toolen.
“We were visited by thousands and this gave us the idea for Skyfall – a place that would guarantee spectacular views and extreme experiences.”
Currently available for private hire, Skyfall will open to the general public in the first quarter of 2022 with tickets set to be available from between PLN 30 to PLN 40.
Privately, insiders at Ghelamco have voiced hopes that the attraction will make it into Trip Advisor’s Top 10 ‘things to do’ in Warsaw.
Luxurious and futuristic, the interiors were the work of the innovative designer Mac Stopa, and they have served to perfectly compliment the rest of the skyscraper.
Also slated to open in the evenings, it is then that the experience is most challenging say employees, with one saying: “During the day you have points of reference, but at night you lose all sense of where you are when the platform starts tilting – that alone makes the feeling all the more intense.”
Though representing ‘the heart’ of the attraction, those not wishing to step out across the glass will also have plenty of reasons to visit.
Occupying a total usable area of nearly 500 sq/m, the swanky interiors will feature a cocktail bar, two terraces with retractable ceilings and enough space to host meetings and parties of up to 200 people.
Featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, these areas also offer staggering views of Warsaw, not least its blooming business district.
Reputedly one of the most technologically advanced towers in Poland, the 202-metre structure features several cutting edge tech solutions, among them UV lights in the lifts to help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria and a mobile app that allows for contactless movement through the building.
Luxurious and futuristic, these interiors were the work of the innovative designer Mac Stopa, and they have served to perfectly compliment the rest of the skyscraper.
Reputedly one of the most technologically advances towers in Poland, the 202-metre structure features several cutting edge tech solutions, among them UV lights in the lifts to help prevent the spread of viruses and bacteria and a mobile app that allows for contactless movement through the building.
Skyfall aside, other points of interest to the public include a so-called Dragon Skin façade comprised of thousands of moving elements, thereby allowing the building to “come to life” and shimmer with every gust of wind.
