Unity Tower
Unity Tower (best known to the public as Szkieletor, which means Skeletor) is a 102.5 metre high-rise building under construction located in Kraków, Poland. Unity Tower is located near the Mogilskie Roundabout (Rondo Mogilskie) and Cracow University of Economics. It is the second tallest building in Kraków after K1 and excluding antennas. The building is still under construction.
| Unity Tower | |
|---|---|
 Unity Tower and centre (2020) | |
  Unity Tower Location of Unity Tower in Poland | |
| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Headquarters of the Main Technical Organization |
| Address | 2 Lubomirskiego street |
| Town or city | Kraków |
| Country | Poland |
| Coordinates | 50°04′05″N 19°57′28″E |
| Construction started | 30 March 2016[1] |
| Completed | June 2019[2] |
| Height | |
| Roof | 102.5 m (336 ft) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 27 |
| Website | |
| www | |
History
Originally, it was intended to become the regional office of the Main Technical Organization (Naczelna Organizacja Techniczna, NOT) and be named the NOT Tower. The construction of the building was started in 1975, but stopped permanently in 1981 because of economic constraints and political unrest associated with the imposition of martial law in Poland in that year.
Due to the unfinished building's resemblance to a skeleton, it was nicknamed after Skeletor, the arch-villain in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, which was popular in Poland at the time construction began.
Investors have expressed interest in renovating the building, but they have been discouraged by the complicated legal status of the land on which it stands and the high cost of its demolition or adaptation. The building is partially owned by TreiMorfa Project. The long debate about its possible future use based on brand new plans was cut short by the courts in December 2011 because of legal improprieties by its new design team.[3]
The building's floors were removed but the steel frame retained and reused. The exterior architecture is inspired by the Art Deco architecture of the 1920's and 30s. The use of grey stone and the architecture is partially inspired by the Maccabees Building.[4]
References
- Ogórek, Piotr (30 March 2016). "Przebudowa "Szkieletora". To już oficjalnie plac budowy". Gazetakrakowska.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- Ogórek, Piotr (1 December 2017). "Kraków. Unity Centre ma być gotowe szybciej [NOWE ZDJĘCIA]". Gazetakrakowska.pl (in Polish). Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- Szkieletor: Decyzja o warunkach zabudowy uchylona! Gazeta.pl, Kraków. (in Polish)
- http://unitycentre.pl/en/history/#
External links
