Skanska invests EUR 45 M in the second phase of the Equilibrium office project in Bucharest, Romania

Skanska invests EUR 45M in the second building of the Equilibrium office project located in the northern part of Bucharest, Romania. The 12-storey building will comprise of a total leasable area of 19,900 sqm and 229 parking lots above and underground.

By Romanita Oprea

„Equilibrium, located in one of the well-known business areas of the Capital, is representative for our portfolio in the region, and after the implementation of the second phase, we will double the leasable area of the entire project. The second building will incorporate the same quality standards as Equilibrium 1, and will include additional measures for protection against viruses. Placemaking, which is the main attraction of this project, plays an essential role: it is that common and dynamic place where people can meet, interact and socialize, and during the weekends it becomes a space for recreation and relaxation. Through the hybrid concept which we propose, we will integrate workspaces with relaxation facilities and quick access to urban mobility services. In addition, to support those interested in moving their offices into our buildings, we have implemented the first 3D interactive visualization platform on the local market, SkanskaSpaces. Despite the current context, we continue to invest in our projects, in the economy and in the sustainable development of the city“, said Aurelia Luca, Executive Vice President of Operations Romania for Skanska’s commercial development division in CEE.

At its completion, the entire two-building Equilibrium complex will offer 40,800 square meters of leasable area.

The project has a unique mix of green relaxation spaces, with modern exterior furniture that incorporates wireless chargers, power sockets and free WiFi, but also with numerous facilities to encourage urban mobility and an active lifestyle – locker rooms and showers for those who practice sports before or after working hours, parking spaces for two-wheeled vehicles, but also fast charging stations for electric cars.

Construction works are planned to be started in February 2021 and are scheduled for completion in the first quarter of 2023. The first phase of the project, Equilibrium 1, became operational on November 1, 2019.

Through a partnership with the start-up Bright Spaces, future occupants of the second Equilibrium building can already visualize the office space virtually. The interactive 3D visualization platform, operational since October, allows the developer to present its spaces in an innovative, interactive way and more adapted to the current needs of customers. The solution provides a complete user experience and creates a new standard in the virtual presentation of office space. The new real estate technology platform is the result of a PropTech hackathon organized by Skanska in 2019, and it was implemented for the first time in the Equilibrium project.

The future building will meet some of the highest standards in the field, as happened with the first building of the complex. Following the prevention measures implemented and the safety standards that have become an industry requirement, the Equilibrium 1 project is among the first in the Skanska portfolio in Central and Eastern Europe to receive WELL Health-Safety Rating. This is the newest building rating system introduced by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) in the pandemic context.