ANNUAL REPORT

ANNUAL
REPORT
2015
ANNUAL
REPORT
2015
CONTENTS
CORPORATE HISTORY
2
Written by Around Brand Consulting for Torus Sp. z o.o. Sp. k.
2016 All rights reserved
6
THE TORUS TEAM
11
2015 INVESTMENT PROJECTS – PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION
15
INVESTMENT LEASE
18
INVESTMENT SALES
21
CONFERENCES, FAIRS AND BUSINESS MEETINGS
22
AWARDS AND COMPETITIONS
23
INVESTMENT PLANS
25
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
27
LOCAL IMPACT
29
COLLABORATION WITH UNIVERSITIES AND STUDENTS
36
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
37
ADDED VALUE CORPORATE PROJECTS
38
1
INTRODUCTION
2015 had been a truly unique year in the near 14-year history of Torus, bringing upon
numerous milestones for our business and corporate image alike. We achieved many
‘developer dreams’ of ours. We reached the goals we had set out to attain many years
ago. Naturally, this success was made possible by our people. Today, Torus is a team of
some 60 highly-skilled specialists with immense knowledge, experience and, perhaps
most importantly, passion for their work. Together we create a mature company that is
visible on the domestic market and known for its effective management of investment
projects. With our clearly defined vision and development path, we boldly look into the
future.
As with every other developer, our activities influence both the property market and
our local community. For this and other important reasons, we felt it was necessary
to examine this record-breaking year from a wider perspective, analysing the different
aspects of our activities. It would be impossible to mention every single detail and
recognise all the effort from every single person ever involved with Torus; I nonetheless
hope this report will provide you with a fascinating inside look at our organisation and
its activities.
Sławomir Gajewski
President of the Management Board
2
3
MAŁGORZATA DOBROWOLSKA
THE MAIN SHAREHOLDER OF TORUS SP. Z O. O. SP. K., A PROPERTY DEVELOPER
SPECIALISING IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND LEASE OF MODERN OFFICE SPACE,
IS MAŁGORZATA DOBROWOLSKA, WHO IS ALSO THE CO-OWNER OF PUBLISHING
HOUSE GDAŃSKIE WYDAWNICTWO OŚWIATOWE.
Ms Dobrowolska is a Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry graduate at the University of
Gdańsk and an author of several maths textbooks catering to all education levels, though
she now specialises in early education. She co-authored the ‘Matematyka z Plusem’
series of maths textbooks, which received the prestigious award from Polska Akademia
Umiejętności. The publisher of the series is Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe, where
Ms Dobrowolska serves as its co-founder, co-owner and editor-in-chief.
She is also the co-owner of property developer Torus and a shareholder in other
companies, the founder and chairman of the Adam Mysior Gdańska Fundacja Rozwoju
foundation, as well as the creator and main sponsor of Akademia 30+, a series of open
lectures and workshops held in the Tricity.
Ms Dobrowolska is also a member of the Gdańsk Business Club and a recipient of
numerous awards, including:
2007 – 3rd place in the ‘TOP Manager of the Year’ contest, held by the newspaper
Dziennik Bałtycki;
2008 – winner of the ‘Złota Żyrafa’ prize in the Business Style category, awarded by the
managing board of the newspaper Styl Życia;
2010 – winner of the F. Kallimach prize awarded by Magazyn Literacki KSIĄŻKI, for the
‘Matematyka z Plusem’ textbook series.
MAŁGORZATA DOBROWOLSKA
4
5
CORPORATE
HISTORY
TORUS – SELECTED INVESTMENT PROJECTS
GRUNWALDZKA 413
Development timespan: 2003-2005
Type: A-class office building
Features: 4,202 sq. m GLA (Gross Leasable Area),
underground carpark with 49 spaces
ARKOŃSKA BUSINESS PARK
Development timespan: 2006-2010
Type: 5-building, A-class office complex
Features: 29,000 sq. m GLA, each building is 5-6 storeys
(with 1-2 underground levels), 557 total parking spaces
(incl. 481 underground)
GRUNWALDZKA 413
CENTRUM LOGISTYCZNO-MAGAZYNOWE KOWALE
(WAREHOUSE & LOGISTICS CENTRE)
Development timespan: 2005-2008
Type: Modern warehouse & office space
Features: 23,000 sq. m lot, 9,100 sq. m warehouse space with
dedicated office space
TORUS SP. Z O.O. SP. K. IS A PROPERTY DEVELOPER ESTABLISHED IN 2002, IN GDAŃSK. IT HAD PREVIOUSLY OPERATED UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF THE GDAŃSK INVESTMENT
SOCIETY (GDAŃSKIE TOWARZYSTWO INWESTYCYJNE).
THE COMPANY’S FIRST INVESTMENT PROJECT WAS THE
CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW HEADQUARTERS OF ITS
PARENT COMPANY, GDAŃSKIE WYDAWNICTWO OŚWIATOWE
(GWO) AT AL. GRUNWALDZKA 413.
At that time, the new GWO building had been the first A-class
office building in the Tricity, contributing to raising the quality standard of the local commercial real estate market. During those years, Torus continued to research and analyse
the market until a strategic decision was made to develop and
specialise the company in the office market (the company’s
portfolio also includes residential, warehouse and renovation projects). At the start of 2006, Torus began developing
Arkońska Business Park (ABP), Tricity’s first A-class business
park, intending for its lease and eventual sale. The investment
project, along with Łużycka Office Park in Gdynia developed by
Allcon Investment, created the foundation for the development
of the Tricity office real estate market. The ABP project allowed
Torus to test its skills in the developer, constructor, landlord,
lessor and sales representative roles. Such versatility and
boldness in forging new routes reflect Torus’ character as
a company and the enormous potential of its employees.
Today, Torus is a large organisation with a solid foundation and
rich industry knowledge.
All projects bearing the TORUS mark greatly exceed average
regional office market standards in Poland and those offered
by the local developers. The projects’ high quality and energy
efficiency equal the best buildings in the country, while their
functionality and technological innovation continue to surprise. In many cases, Torus buildings compete and win against
projects built by much larger developers – it is for this reason our company gained recognition and respect among our
property developer peers. Torus is an organisation that is not
afraid of challenges – this is best seen in our current, flagship project, the multi-function business complex, Alchemia
in Gdańsk.
PIOTRKOWSKA 27
Development timespan: 2010-2011
Type: A secluded residential building
Features: 4.5-storey building with 24 apartments (42-91 sq. m
each), with underground parking area
HOTEL ARKON PARK
Development timespan: 2010-2011
Type: Modern three-star hotel
Features: 81 rooms and serviced apartments, restaurant,
230-seat conference room, sports & recreation centre,
carpark with 30 spaces
ALCHEMIA
Development timespan: 2011 – ongoing
Type: Mixed-use office complex, developed in four stages
Features: projected GLA of over 130,000 sq. m; with 1,500
parking spaces
6
7
ALCHEMIA II
Development timespan: 2013-2015
Features: The second stage of Alchemia was opened in October 2015, bringing nearly 22,000 sq. m of office space to the
market, with 4,000 sq. m dedicated to accompanying retail
services. The businesses in Alchemia II include State Street,
Alexander Mann Solutions and Wipro IT Services. The building is precertified under LEED Platinum, achieving one of the
highest scores in Poland, with the certification process to be
finalised in 2016.
ALCHEMIA I & II
Alchemia I
ALCHEMIA I
Development timespan: 2011-2013
Features: The first stage of Alchemia was opened in December 2013, bringing 16,700 sq. m of modern office space to the
Tricity commercial property market. It features 4,600 sq. m of
sports & recreation facilities, with swimming pools, saunas,
gym, sports hall and an indoor climbing wall. It also has a twolevel restaurant occupying 550 sq. m of space. The complex
packs 300 parking spaces. The businesses in Alchemia I include the following companies: Kemira, Gdańskie Wydawnictwo Oświatowe, Dynatrace, Cognizant, MOL Europe, Grupa
Progres and Mango Media. The building is certified under U.S.
Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system, achieving the highest possible
grade – Platinum. The total development period of this project
was 24 months.
ALCHEMIA I & II
ALCHEMIA, AQUASTACJA
ALCHEMIA III (VISUALISATION)
ALCHEMIA III
Development timespan: 2015 – ongoing
Features: Construction of Alchemia III is currently underway.
It is to become the largest free-standing building in northern
Poland to date, with 36,000 sq. m of office space, with 3,000
sq. m per floor. The ground level will feature a pedestrian/
shopping throughway with benches, greenery and small landscaping. A distinguishing architectural design that will set the
building apart will be its ‘lighthouse’ feature - the corner of
the building will be completely devoid of glazing bars and built
with minimal use of metal components. Construction is expected to be completed in Q3 2017.
ALCHEMIA, SPORTSTACJA
8
ALCHEMIA - FITSTACJA (NOW TIGER GYM)
ALCHEMIA III (VISUALISATION)
9
THE TORUS TEAM
TORUS.
OUR PEOPLE
ARE OUR
GREATEST
STRENGTH
57
PERMANENT EMPLOYEES AT TORUS
AT THE END OF 2015
ALCHEMIA III (VISUALISATION)
Over the course of 2015, the number of permanent employees
at Torus remained at 57, meaning that, for the first time, this
number has not increased from the previous year (though a
few new faces joined the team at the start of 2016). In 2015,
four people had been promoted. The average employee age is
less than 38, making the Torus team young and dynamic, yet
sporting solid industry experience. The average employment
length within the team is six years (the company was founded
in 2002). Among the employees is one person with a PhD, 29
people with a degree in engineering, 15 with a Master’s degree
and five with a Bachelor’s degree, with the rest having completed high school and/or vocational training.
THE NUMBER OF PERMANENT
EMPLOYEES OVER THE YEARS:
2015
57
2014
57
2013
2012
2007
2002
10
51
50
28
company founded
11
ALICJA NAPIÓRKOWSKA
HEAD OF INVESTMENT PLANNING
DEPARTMENT
MACIEJ GÓRSKI,
PROJECT MANAGER
MAREK PALIŚWIAT
FINANCIAL PROXY
EDYTA KORYCKA,
INVESTMENT PLANNING DEPARTMENT
DIRECTOR
MONIKA BRZOZOWSKA
SENIOR MANAGER – HEAD OF MARKETING & PR
SŁAWOMIR GAJEWSKI
PRESIDENT OF THE MANAGEMENT BOARD
AGNIESZKA CZAJKA
SECRETARY
MONIKA LASOCKA
JAROSŁAW BŁASZKOWSKI
MARCIN FROZYNA
HEAD OF FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT
ELECTRICAL SURVEYOR
PROJECT MANAGER
JAN KAKOWSKI
PROJECT MANAGEMENT DIRECTOR
NATALIA MANUSZEWSKA
LEASING & MARKETING SPECIALIST
MACIEJ BROŻEK
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
IWONA RULKIEWICZ
MANAGEMENT BOARD ASSISTANT
ANDRZEJ AMBROZIAK
PIOTR NISIEWICZ
SUPERVISION INSPECTOR
PROJECT MANAGER
ADAM SAJEWICZ
HEAD OF ELECTRICAL WORKS
ŁUKASZ JĘDRUSIAK
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
MACIEJ SUCHANOWSKI
IWONA STEMSKA
PROJECT MANAGER
REAL ESTATE PROXY
KAROLINA BROŻONOWICZ
LEASING MANAGER
RAFAŁ SZYMAŃSKI
HEAD OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT
TOMASZ BOROWSKI
MIKOŁAJ FILIPIAK
CONSTRUCTION MANAGER
SITE MANAGER
TOMASZ WESOŁOWSKI
PROJECT MANAGER
PRZEMYSŁAW GROSZEWSKI
MIESZKO WÓJCIK
DARIUSZ ZIELIŃSKI
LEASING MANAGER HEAD OF ELECTRICAL WORKS
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
MARCIN DEJNA
HEAD OF CONTRACTS AND SALES
DEPARTMENT
PAWEŁ GOŁĘBICKI
RAFAŁ ŻAL
PROPERTY MANAGER
HEAD OF TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
MAGDALENA BORKOWSKA
HEAD OF DESIGN DEPARTMENT
EWA ORLIK
JOANNA OLEJNICZAK‑SUCHECKA
LEASING SPECIALIST
DESIGN DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR
JOANNA JABŁOŃSKA
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST
ROMAN SOKOŁOWSKI
DOROTA ŁUCZYWEK-KUCHARSKA
PROPERTY MANAGER
CHIEF ENGINEER
TOMASZ MAN
IT DIRECTOR
2015 INVESTMENT
PROJECTS –
PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION
TORUS DIFFERS FROM THE COMPETITION IN THAT
IT DIRECTLY SUPERVISES ITS PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT. THIS IS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO A TEAM
OF EXPERIENCED SPECIALISTS WITH A HIGH PROFICIENCY IN THEIR RESPECTIVE FIELDS.
RECEPTION/ADMINISTRATION SUPPORT
/ personal assistance to the Management Board / administration support / front desk reception /
PROJECT PLANNING DEPARTMENT
/ project conception / investment project monetary return
analysis / preparing project documentation / coordinating with
design department during document revision / scheduling /
investment administration/ negotiating terms with infrastructure managers / coordination of power grid, water, sewage,
heat, drainage, gas and telecommunication network agreements / coordinating changeover protocols and obtaining usage permits / investment project potential analysis / seeking
legal opinion for newly purchased properties /
PROJECT MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
/ preparing investment projects for implementation (selecting
labourers and purchasing materials, etc.) / project document
control / verification and optimisation of building air quality /
cooperating with academic, research, specialist, inspector and
other professional environments / scheduling project timeframes and evaluating their profitability / optimising building
energy efficiency / supervising project LEED requirements /
MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT
/ tenant relations / inspections and minor repair / monitoring of
ventilation, air conditioning, energy and Building Management
systems /
LEASING DEPARTMENT
/ lease of office, commercial, retail, warehouse and conference
space / preparing and pitching lease offers to potential tenants
/ negotiating price / coordinating signing of lease agreements
/ coordinating change / client and tenant communication, incl.
additions and change to office arrangement / market reports
and analysis / participating in corporate events / compiling
lease projections / participating in property sales / building and
maintaining good client relations /
MARKETING DEPARTMENT
/ market trend analysis / communication strategy / public relations, marketing and branding / internal communication / supporting the lease department / improving client and contractor
relations / corporate social responsibility / coordinating added
value projects /
DESIGN DEPARTMENT
/ planning and implementing interior arrangement projects /
developing public and utility space interiors / consulting projects with industry experts / seeking legal advice / specialist
coordination and supervision during construction / furniture
design / 3D modelling / graphic design /meeting and negotiating with suppliers and labourers / aesthetic consultation /
SALES AND LEGAL DEPARTMENT
/ preparing and negotiating property lease drafts, purchase
and sale agreements / verifying that agreement conditions
have been met / legal appraisal to ensure due diligence of purchased property /
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT DEPARTMENT
/ supervising property maintenance / optimisation of property
running costs / managing maintenance procedures of machinery, equipment and installation / continuous procedure improvement / quality control / tenant relations and responding
to corrective action requests / facilitating client relations and
ensuring positive property image /
ACCOUNTING DEPARTMENT
/ accounting / tax appraisal / administering cash and cashless
payment / wage calculation / consolidation / property tax declaration and payment /
FINANCIAL DEPARTMENT
/ set-up and administration of financing / financial supervision
during project implementation / income invoicing / monitoring financial security of lease and contract agreements / debt
collection / execution of financial commitments contained in
property agreements / financial reports /
IT DEPARTMENT
/ managing IT and telecommunication networks / IT equipment
maintenance / technological advice / server setup and maintenance / data security /
OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS TORUS HAS BEEN FOCUSING,
STAGE-BY-STAGE, ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF ALCHEMIA.
2015 WAS NO DIFFERENT, ALTHOUGH WORK CONTINUED
ON OTHER PROJECTS AS WELL.
ALCHEMIA I
At the beginning of 2015, interior arrangement work was carried out in the offices that had their lease agreements signed
by the end of 2014 (additional space for the following companies: Grupa Progres, Kemira, Regus, Mango Media, Xelion,
Cognizant, as well as the Torus Showroom). In 2015, further
lease agreements were reached with NOV, Wipro IT Services
and ManpowerGroup. By the end of the year, Torus began planning for the arrangement works for the newest tenants - Provident Polska, Apteki Gemini and Luxoft.
ALCHEMIA III
In 2015, Torus obtained permission to begin construction of the
third stage of Alchemia, along with permission to manage the
surrounding areas and the accompanying infrastructure; this
signalled a green light to begin actual construction work. Separate permits were obtained for the installation of storm water
and sewage pipe systems, power grid and the water mains and
plumbing. The building was precertified under LEED, attaining
the highest possible grade – Platinum.
700,000
MAN-HOURS HAD GONE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION
OF ALCHEMIA II (EST. FIGURE)
ALCHEMIA II
The construction of Alchemia II continued to take place over
the first three quarters of 2015. Towards the end of the year,
work shifted to finishing off office interiors for the new tenants
(State Street, Alexander Mann Solutions and Wipro IT Services). It was also during that time the LEED certification process
entered its final phase, which is expected to finish in 2016.
Approx. 700 workers were involved in the construction of Alchemia II, with some 500 employed for more than a week.
A total of 320 contractors, including one-day workers, were
involved in the State Street project alone (by far Alchemia’s
largest tenant, occupying over 14,000 sq. m of space). The construction of Alchemia II consumed approx. 30,000 cb. m of concrete and 3,500 tonnes of reinforced steel. The total development period took 20 months, which translates to about 700,000
man-hours.
700
WORKERS
WERE INVOLVED IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF ALCHEMIA II,
WITH SOME 500 EMPLOYED FOR
MORE THAN A WEEK (EST. FIGURE)
ALCHEMIA I LOBBY
14
15
GRUNWALDZKA 48-50
Torus is planning the construction of a modern office/retail
building at al. Grunwaldzka 48-50 in Gdańsk, replacing the
existing ‘Chemia’ building (named after the company it once
housed). During 2015, the project was in its drawing board
stage, with a zoning decision made in January 2016. A second
office building was also considered; it would be erected further
down the lot, along with the reconstruction of tech infrastructure and making changes to the permitted usage of the area.
The company also began to procure the necessary administrative permits.
GRUNWALDZKA 48-50
BARNIEWICE
A modern logistic centre with adjoining office space is set to be
built on a 20ha plot in Barniewice, in the Żukowo municipality
(10km north-west of Gdańsk). It is an attractively-situated area
given its proximity to the Owczarnia road interchange and the
Pomorska Kolej Metropolitalna railway. In 2015, Torus began
designing a through road to the Owczarnia interchange via ul.
Dębowa and ul. Meteorytowa.
CONTRACTORS ENGAGED BY TORUS TO WORK ON ALCHEMIA I & ALCHEMIA II
PROJECT
336
ALCHEMIA II
104 contracts, 16 orders, 86 shorter-term agreements
206
TOTAL COST OF ALL TORUS INVESTMENT
PROJECTS BY YEAR: 68 mln
2013
2012
DECISIONS & PERMITS IN 2015
URZĄD MIASTA (City Council)
63
URZĄD WOJEWÓDZKI (Voivoidship Council)
2
POWIATOWY INSPEKTORAT NADZORU BUDOWLANEGO
(building inspection regulatory body)
2
POLSKIE KOLEJE PAŃSTWOWE (Polish National Railways)
13
TK TELEKOM (telecommunications company)
2
ZARZĄD DRÓG I ZIELENI W GDAŃSKU (urban road and vegetation administration)
26
ENERGA (electricity company)
11
GDAŃSKA INFRASTRUKTURA WODNO-KANALIZACYJNA
(urban drain and sewage administration)
1
GDAŃSKIE PRZEDSIĘBIORSTWO ENERGETYKI CIEPLNEJ
(heating company)
3
ZESPÓŁ UZGADNIANIA DOKUMENTACJI PROJEKTOWEJ
(ground survey documentation regulatory body)
1
PAŃSTWOWA STRAŻ POŻARNA (National Fire Department)
1
OTHER
17
TOTAL
142
109m PLN
2015
2014
ENTITY OR ORGANISATION
CONTRACTORS TOTAL
151 contracts, 42 orders, 143 shorter-term agreements
In 2015, Torus carried out design work and the expansion of the
main warehouse and production area.
A SUMMARY OF THE DECISIONS AND PERMITS OBTAINED IN 2015 RELATED TO OUR ONGOING
PROJECTS (ALCHEMIA I, ALCHEMIA II, ALCHEMIA III, GRUNWALDZKA 48-50 & KOWALE):
TYPE OF ENGAGEMENT
ALCHEMIA I
CENTRUM LOGISTYCZNO-MAGAZYNOWE KOWALE
BARNIEWICE
16
While carrying out its projects, Torus had been working with numerous, mostly local entities, both big and small. In 2015, the
total number of contractors (i.e. contracts, shorter-term agreements and orders) engaged by Torus to work on Alchemia I & II
was as follows:
67m PLN
75m PLN
109m PLN
SPENT BY TORUS ON INVESTMENT
PROJECTS IN 2015
68m PLN
The total cost of investment projects in 2015 was 109m PLN.
Approx. 80% of contractors engaged by Torus are organisations from the Pomeranian Voivodship, with the rest sourced
nationwide. The exact nature of the work performed by the
different contractors varied depending on the different stages
of construction (e.g. shell or elevation work), which is why the
exact cost breakdown is harder to evaluate. It is estimated
that approx. 50% of the money spent on contracts fuelled the
Pomeranian market, while the rest reached other regions in
Poland and in other countries, especially spending related to
machinery. With this in mind, it can be estimated that approx.
50% of these costs had gone into local labour, which follows that
approx. 25% of the money spent remained within the Pomeranian region, in the form of wages paid for labour (over 27m
PLN).
27m PLN
OF THE MONEY SPENT BY TORUS ON ITS INVESTMENT
PROJECTS IN 2015 IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE REMAINED WITHIN
THE POMERANIAN REGION, IN THE FORM OF WAGES PAID FOR
LABOUR (EST. FIGURE)
ALCHEMIA, I
17
INVESTMENT
LEASE
In 2015, Alchemia gained the following new tenants: State
Street Bank, NOV, Provident Polska, Apteki Gemini, Luxoft,
Wipro IT Services, Alexander Mann Solutions and ManpowerGroup. The lease agreement with global financial services
heavyweight, NYSE-listed State Street, was the largest commercial lease transaction in the Pomeranian region to date and
one of the largest in Poland in 2015. The organisation rented
over 14,000 sq. m of space for its new Gdańsk office, planning
to hire up to 1,200 employees in the next few years.
14,000 sq. m
OF SPACE IN ALCHEMIA RENTED BY STATE
STREET FOR ITS NEW BRANCH IN GDAŃSK
2015 WAS A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR TORUS IN THE AMOUNT OF LEASED SPACE, BOTH ANNUALLY AND IN THE
COMPANY’S HISTORY. 10 LEASE AGREEMENTS WERE SIGNED AT ALCHEMIA I AND II ALONE, WITH NINE OF THE LEASING
ENTITIES HAILING FROM ABROAD, FOR A TOTAL FIGURE OF 25,700 SQ. M OF LEASED SPACE.
LEASED OFFICE AND COMMERCIAL SPACE (NOT INCLUDING WAREHOUSE SPACE) WITHIN KEY TORUS INVESTMENT
PROPERTIES (ALCHEMIA, GRUNWALDZKA 413, GRUNWALDZKA 417, GRUNWALDZKA 48-50)
YEAR
2015*
INVESTMENT
SPACE LEASED
OVER THE YEAR (sq. m)
# ENTITIES THAT HAVE SIGNED
LEASE AGREEMENTS
% BUILDING SPACE RENTED OUT
(end of the year)
other buildings
TOTAL
2014
other buildings
TOTAL
2013
other buildings
TOTAL
2012
other buildings
TOTAL
*In 2015, new lease at Grunwaldzka 48-50 was put on hold due to building modernisation works. Grunwaldzka 417 was entirely vacated and
then demolished to make space for Alchemia III.
25,700
sq. m
OF OFFICE SPACE LEASED BY TORUS
IN THE ALCHEMIA COMPLEX IN 2015,
A RECORD IN THE COMPANY’S HISTORY
THE OFFICIAL SIGNING OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH STATE STREET
18
19
INVESTMENT
SALES
2015 WAS ALSO SIGNIFICANT FOR TORUS WITH THE
FINALISATION OF THE SALE AGREEMENT FOR ALCHEMIA I
(IN AUGUST) AND REACHING A PRE-SALE AGREEMENT FOR
ALCHEMIA II (IN NOVEMBER). THE ADVENT OF SUBSTANTIAL INVESTORS IN THE TRICITY REGION IS A TESTAMENT
TO THE MARKET’S MATURITY AND POTENTIAL, WHILE AT
THE SAME TIME SHOWING THE QUALITY OF TORUS INVESTMENT PROJECTS.
The investment project sale agreements reached by Torus (and
the speed with which they were conducted) serve as a testament to the high quality of its buildings. The presence of such
leading investor entities on the Tricity office property market
shows that the region has visibly matured, becoming a solid
alternative to other, larger cities.
ALCHEMIA I
At the start of August 2015, Torus finalised the agreement for
the sale of the first stage of Alchemia. The buyer is a joint venture between Bluehouse Capital Advisor Ltd and REINO Dywidenda Plus SA, managed by REINO Partners. The agency advising during the transaction process was Cushman & Wakefield.
Legal advice for Torus was provided by Clifford Chance; with
Greenberg Traurig representing REINO Dywidenda SA and
CMS Cameron McKenna representing Bluehouse. The transaction was financed by ING Bank Śląski.
Bluehouse is an experienced and independent real estate investment firm. It sports numerous achievements under its
belt and boasts extensive market knowledge, having created
and managed four property funds. The organisation’s capital
comes from international institutions, family office entities,
wealthy private investors, as well as two regional capital funds
(owned by REINO). Bluehouse has been present on the Central
and South-Eastern European market for over 10 years.
REINO Partners is an independent entity that manages investments and funds on the South-Eastern European real estate
market. The total transaction and development project value
undertaken with the involvement of REINO reaches beyond
3bn EUR and encompasses all types of property market sectors. Within the last three years and in line with its intended
investment strategy, the REINO Partners team has successfully acquired existing office real estate with a combined value
of approx. 300m EUR.
THE OFFICIAL SIGNING OF THE LEASE AGREEMENT WITH STATE STREET
ALCHEMIA II
In November 2015, Torus signed a preliminary agreement
for the sale of the second stage of the mixed-use Alchemia
complex in Gdańsk. The buyer is a subsidiary of Polski Holding Nieruchomości S.A., with the transaction to be finalised in
2016. Legal advice was provided by Clifford Chance.
20
ALCHEMIA II
21
AWARDS AND
COMPETITIONS
CONFERENCES
FAIRS AND
BUSINESS MEETINGS
THE ALCHEMIA BIURA (ALCHEMY OF THE OFFICE) BUSINESS MEETING (EUROBUILD CEE)
OVER THE COURSE OF 2015, TORUS REPRESENTATIVES
TOOK PART IN NUMEROUS INDUSTRY EVENTS – FAIRS,
CONFERENCES AND THEMED BUSINESS MEETINGS,
BOTH IN POLAND AND ABROAD. THEY OFTEN APPEARED
AS SPEAKERS AND PANELLISTS. THEY ACTIVELY
CONTRIBUTED TO PROMOTING THE TRICITY AND THE
POMERANIAN REGION BY SHARING THEIR KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OFFICE MARKET AND
BY TALKING ABOUT TORUS AND ITS ACTIVITIES.
MIPIM
(March 2015, Cannes) is the largest annual international real estate and investment fair in Europe. Under the
banner of Metropolia Gdańska, Torus, and a handful of other
companies, showed off their investment projects and helped
to promote our region. The coordinator of the Pomeranian delegation was InvestGDA.
INVESTED INTEREST BUYERS & SELLERS
GET-TOGETHER (June 2015, Warsaw) is a conference organised by the magazine Eurobuild CEE, dedicated to a wide
range of property enthusiasts but chiefly specialising in investment properties. Guest analysts presented various macroeconomic market data related to the Polish and the European
market, highlighting an overall healthy state of the property
market. A Torus representative took part in a panel discussion,
entitled ‘Intelligent investment is not the freezing of capital’,
which concerned the financing of real estate investment in Poland. Torus was both a partner and an active participant of the
event.
OFFICE SPACE & GREEN SOLUTIONS (October 2015,
Warsaw) is another conference held by Eurobuild CEE. The
event discussed the development of the office market in the
country, including Poland’s advantage over Romania and Asian
countries, what advantages cities can offer to office property
developers and to new investors, the renting businesses’ requirements within specific industry sectors and the successful
implementation of green technologies in existing buildings.
SMART BUILDINGS & SMART CITIES (October 2015,
tion as one of the key sectors of the Polish economy, where
the subject of building energy efficiency is gaining momentum.
Torus delegates showed off Alchemia as an example of a certified investment project that meets very high energy efficiency
standards.
BIUROWCE W POLSCE (Office Buildings in Poland, October 2015, Warsaw) is perhaps the most important event dedicated to the office sector in Poland. The conference covered
a plethora of subjects, including the growth of regional markets,
the city-stimulating effect of office buildings, data security and
intelligent solutions and cities. Many times the speakers and
panellists underlined the effect Torus and similar developers
have had on increasing the importance of regional markets in
Poland. Torus also served as the event partner and consultant.
21ST ANNUAL COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MARKET
CONFERENCE (December 2015, Warsaw) is an annual
meeting between the representatives of the commercial real
estate industry in Poland that serves to analyse the coming
year and ponder prognoses for the future. A series of macroeconomic real estate market and related data was presented.
The conference participants had agreed that the market forecast is positive, though keeping in mind the numerous challenges ahead. Torus submitted a delegate to one of the discussion panels.
ALCHEMIA BIURA (the Alchemy of the Office, December
2015, Warsaw) was the inaugural business breakfast meeting
hosted by Torus and Eurobuild CEE. The event participants attempted to answer the question: in which direction is the office
market heading and which market trends will reign supreme in
the nearby future? The first part of the event was dedicated to
the contemporary interior arrangement of office space. During
the discussion panel, guests, including one Torus representative, discussed the current state of the Tricity office market and
the evolution of employee treatment as part of creating the
working environment. The event participants also talked about
the quality of life in the Tricity and the Pomeranian region,
underlining what the region has to offer.
2015 WAS A YEAR OF SUCCESS FOR TORUS, IN TERMS OF
BUSINESS AND CORPORATE IMAGE ALIKE. THE COMPANY
ATTRACTED THE ATTENTION OF NUMEROUS INDUSTRY
PLAYERS, AS EVIDENCED BY A MULTITUDE OF AWARDS
AND RECOGNITIONS.
EUROBUILD AWARDS 2015 – held on 3 December 2015
at the Double Tree by Hilton in Warsaw, this awards gala is the
icing on the cake to the most prestigious commercial property
competition in Poland. Alchemia II picked up the Best New Office award, outing 18 other submissions. Each year, the people
participating in the event represent all the key players active
on the real estate market. The competition jury is comprised
of over 200 industry experts. When judging submissions, they
consider the projects’ quality, technical parameters, reputation, leasing progress, financial performance, the level of local competition, BREEAM/LEED certification and development
history. The awards gala gathered some 900 people.
GREEN BUILDING AWARDS – held on 6 October 2015
EUROBUILD AWARDS 2015 (EUROBUILD CEE)
at the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw, the symposium
was organised by the Polish Green Building Council (PLGBC).
The event lauded the most environmentally friendly office investment projects in the country, where Alchemia triumphed
in two of the four competition categories. Alchemia I was chosen Best Completed Eco-friendly Certified Building, while Alchemia II was deemed Best Eco-friendly Project. The award for
Alchemia I was received by Edyta Korycka of Torus and Szymon
Wojciechowski from APA Wojciechowski, the architecture firm
that designed Alchemia. Mr Wojciechowski also accepted the
prize for Alchemia II. The competition drew in 42 submissions,
where the judges considered their architectural, aesthetic and
sustainability value.
18 PROJECTS
FROM ALL ACROSS POLAND LOST TO ALCHEMIA II IN THE
BEST NEW OFFICE CATEGORY AT THE 2015 EUROBUILD
AWARDS
Warsaw) is one of the many conferences organised by The Warsaw Voice. The event participants conversed about construcEUROBUILD AWARDS 2015
22
23
MANHATTAN BUSINESS
– in 2015, Torus also received
a Manhattan Business statuette for lifetime achievement and
for the creation of the best place for business development in
northern Poland. The award recognises Torus’ good business
practice - companies receiving this award apply high moral
standards in their everyday actions while proudly acknowledging their strong position on the market.
ORŁY POLSKIEGO BUDOWNICTWA (Eagles of Polish
Construction) – this nationwide competition awards entrepreneurs contributing to modern and safety-conscious construction practices that stand out among others on the Polish construction market. The initiative is organised as part of
Narodowy Program Promocji Polska Przedsiębiorczość and
promoted under the patronage of the Ministry of Infrastructure
INVESTMENT
PLANS
Other competitions where Torus and/or Alchemia
were nominated in 2015:
CIJ Awards (for Office Development of the Year, Office Lease
of the Year, Office Investment Transaction of the Year & Office
Developer of the Year)
CEE Investment and Green Building Awards
(for Best Office Development of the Year, Best Mixed-use Development of the Year & Developer of the Year)
Outsourcing Stars 2015 (for Best Developer)
ALCHEMIA III
Development timespan: 2015-2017
Type: office complex with commercial & retail space
Features: office space spread across 11 floors (3,000 sq. m
each), the ground floor can accommodate 13 commercial clients
of various size and services on offer.
and Development. Torus was recognised twice – in the INVESTOR/INVESTMENT category (for Alchemia) and in the DEVELOPER SERVICES category.
MEDAL EUROPEJSKI (the BCC European Medal) is an annual competition held by the Business Centre Club, with the
support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and under the auspice
of the European Economic and Social Committee. The Medal is
given to the most innovative and high-quality Polish products
and services that meet European standards in their respective
certificate, licence and patent requirements. In 2015, a European Medal was bestowed upon Alchemia I.
2
AWARDS
WON BY ALCHEMIA AT THE NATIONWIDE
GREEN BUILDING AWARDS 2015
GRUNWALDZKA 48-50
Development timespan: 2016-2018
Type: modern office building in Gdańsk Wrzeszcz
Features: over 3,200 sq. m of space, with 65 parking spaces.
BARNIEWICE
Development timespan: 2016Features: Barniewice is an area situated 6km from Gdańsk Lech
Wałęsa Airport, 2km from the S7 Tricity Bypass and 25km from
the A1 motorway. In 2016, a project was drawn up to build a new
access road directly leading to the area. The location is ripe for
numerous investment possibilities – perhaps a logistics centre
or an office campus for those seeking peace and quiet, and great
access to key areas in the Tricity and the Pomeranian region.
REPRESENTATIVES FROM TORUS AND APA WOJCIECHOWSKI ARCHITEKCI AT GREEN BUILDING AWARDS 2015
24
25
STAKEHOLDER GROUPS
EMPLOYEES
STUDENTS AND LOCAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
REAL ESTATE AND BUSINESS OWNERS
LOCAL COMMUNITIES
REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY
26
COLLABORATORS, CONTRACTORS, SUPPLIERS
COMMERCIAL CLIENTS
(OFFICE TENANTS)
INSTITUTIONAL CLIENTS
(INVESTOR ENTITIES)
LOCAL (CITY OF GDAŃSK) AND REGIONAL
(POMERANIAN VOIVODSHIP) GOVERNMENT
AUTHORITIES, INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANISATIONS
BANKS AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
27
LOCAL IMPACT
THE JOB MARKET
THE EXTENT AND TYPE OF ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY TORUS AFFECT THE JOB MARKET BOTH DIRECTLY (AS AN EMPLOYER AND INVESTOR) AND INDIRECTLY (AS AN OFFICE
SPACE DEVELOPER):
•
800
PLANNED NEW JOBS
WITH ALCHEMIA CLIENTS IN 2016 (EST. FIGURE)
EMPLOYER - Torus employs 60 permanent employees,
steadily increasing its workforce over the years.
•
INVESTOR – the company is a sizeable investor on the
local market, purchasing contract labour, products and
services for its investment projects and other expenditures. Over the course of 2015, Torus invested 109m PLN
into the market, 25% of which (27m PLN) reached local
businesses (i.e. directly to the local labour force).
•
EMPLOYER
OFFICE SPACE
DEVELOPER
OFFICE SPACE DEVELOPER – Torus is a commercial developer (of mainly office space), attracting mostly
new investors that have just entered the Tricity and/or
Polish market. The availability of modern office space is
an important, though not the limiting, factor when choosing the right location for the investment. Businesses want
to create jobs in a comfortable environment and with the
potential to expand (i.e. increase their office space) in the
future.
At the end of 2015, 1,200 people were working across Alchemia
I & II. The Alchemia workforce increased by 30% in 2015, keeping in mind that the opening of Alchemia II took place only in
Q4 2015. In 2016, the total (declared) number of new jobs in Alchemia is projected to reach 800 (data based on available personnel space). The new jobs will be primarily created for the
new businesses in Alchemia II: State Street, Alexander Mann
Solutions and Wipro IT Services.
1,200 JOBS
IN ALCHEMIA AT THE END OF 2015
(CLIENTS’ EMPLOYEES, EST. FIGURE)
INVESTOR
SPORTS AND RECREATIONAL FACILITIES
An integral part of the Alchemia complex are its easily-accessible sports and recreational facilities, the largest in the Tricity
and one of the largest in Poland. These areas are managed by
two distinct companies – Aquastacja/Sportstacja, for aquatic
and indoor sporting facilities and Tiger Gym (previously managed by Fitstacja) for the gym and fitness club. The facilities
include three swimming pools (25-metre pool with six lanes,
deep pool and children’s pool), saunas, gym (incl. training
rooms and cycling rooms), sports hall with a ball court and an
indoor climbing wall. Alchemia’s sports and recreational facilities opened at the end of 2013, satisfying the demand for such
services in the Tricity. Today, it has a steady customer base
reaching thousands, including families with children. The facilities also play host to a number of sports and recreational
events, many of them kids-oriented. The following table shows
the events that took place in 2015 and their participants.
ALCHEMIA
28
FOT. MAGDALENA MROZIK
29
PEOPLE TAKING PART IN EVENTS ORGANISED WITHIN ALCHEMIA SPORTS & RECREATIONAL
FACILITIES
EVENT
PARTICIPANTS
[children/adults]
ALCHEMIA SPORTS & RECREATIONAL
CLIENTS IN 2015, BY FACILITY TYPE
I ZAWODY PŁYWACKIE TRÓJMIEJSKICH SZKÓŁ NIEPUBLICZNYCH
(NON-PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ SWIMMING TOURNAMENT)
425 CHILDREN
FACILITY
TYPE
# INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS
IN 2015
AQUATHLON KIDS 2015
350 CHILDREN
AQUASTACJA
91,046
MASTER KIDS LIGA MAŁYCH MISTRZÓW
(CHILDREN’S FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT)
350 CHILDREN
FITSTACJA
17,500
TRÓJMIEJSKA LIGA BADMINTONA (BADMINTON TOURNAMENT)
29 PEOPLE
SPORTSTACJA
71,737
TURNIEJ PIŁKI KOSZYKOWEJ O PUCHAR PREZESA AQUASTACJI
(BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT)
80 PEOPLE
TOTAL
180,283
AQUA-MARATHONS
100 PEOPLE
TORUS TRIATHLON IN DA HOUSE
(INDOOR TRIATHLON EVENT ORGANIZED BY TORUS)
72 PEOPLE
CHILDREN’S SPORTS WORKSHOPS AND CAMPS
250 PEOPLE
TOTAL
1,375 CHILDREN / 281 ADULTS
1,375
CHILDREN
TOOK PART IN SPORTING AND RECREATIONAL
EVENTS ORGANISED IN ALCHEMIA
180,283
INDIVIDUAL CLIENTS VISITED ALCHEMIA
SPORTS & RECREATIONAL FACILITIES IN 2015
THE ENVIRONMENT
All stages of Alchemia are submitted for certification under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED),
a world-renowned, strict certification system for highly
efficient and sustainable buildings. The process of obtaining LEED certification is a long and complicated one,
demanding numerous responsibilities from the developer,
even at the blueprint stage. In December 2014, the certification
process of Alchemia I came to an end. The building reached
the highest level of the LEED scale – Platinum; this confirmed
its claim to meet global standards in energy efficiency and
sustainability. Alchemia I is the first investment project in the
Tricity region to have achieved the LEED Platinum level and remains one of the few such in the country. The second and third
stages of Alchemia are currently in the precertification phase:
Alchemia II was precertified under LEED Platinum in 2014 and
will be fully certified in 2016; similarly, the certification process of Alchemia III is following the same path. Construction
of Alchemia I generated 1,927 containers with 3,760 tonnes
of waste, of which 90% was later recycled. Approx. 20m PLN
of recycled materials had been used during the construction
of Alchemia II.
20m PLN
OF RECYCLED MATERIALS USED
DURING ALCHEMIA II CONSTRUCTION
AQUATHLON (AQUASTACJA)
30
ALCHEMIA I CONSTRUCTION SITE
31
ENVIRONMENTALLY-FRIENDLY FEATURES OF ALCHEMIA:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
IMPROVEMENTS TO LOCAL TRAFFIC
47.3% reduction in drinking water consumption through
highly efficient plumbing infrastructure and the use of
rainwater reservoir for irrigation;
58.7% reduction in sewage waste;
25.46% reduction in energy consumption through efficient
indoor and outdoor lighting (meeting ASHRAE 90.1-2007
standards);
Use of mainly regionally-manufactured materials;
Use of finishing materials on office and recreational surfaces with a low quantity of volatile organic compounds to
create a healthy working and recreational environment;
Use of green roofs and bright, light-reflecting concrete
pavement on hard surfaces to reduce the ‘urban heat island’ effect;
Proximity to numerous retail services and public trans-
AN ESSENTIAL PART OF INVESTMENT PROJECTS BUILT IN
CITY CENTRES AND OTHER KEY URBAN AREAS ARE THE IMPROVEMENTS MADE TO LOCAL TRAFFIC. THESE IMPROVEMENTS MUST PRIMARILY HELP ADDRESS THE INCREASING
TRAFFIC DENSITY AS WELL AS ENABLE AND ENCOURAGE
PEOPLE TO USE PUBLIC TRANSPORT. TORUS’ SOLUTIONS
TO TRAFFIC INFRASTRUCTURE SURROUNDING ALCHEMIA
ARE CARRIED OUT WITH THIS PHILOSOPHY IN MIND; OFTEN
REACHING BEYOND TYPICALLY-SEEN SOLUTIONS.
•
NEW TRAFFIC INTERSECTION, PEDESTRIAN
CROSSING AND CYCLING PATHS – as part of traffic infrastructure development around Alchemia in 2015,
a new road intersection was built, near Alchemia II, with
port reduces the need for driving, helping to reduce CO2
emissions;
Cyclist-friendly facilities (over 100 lockers and 10 showers) encourage employees to leave the car at home;
Carpark charging stations for electric cars;
Redevelopment of old industrial areas to eliminate the
need to destroy vegetation
a pedestrian crossing, traffic signals and a bike path running past the already-built stages of the complex. Additionally, new left-turn and right-turn lanes were put in to
provide better access to the complex (for traffic coming
from Sopot and Gdańsk city centre respectively). The new
intersection also allows a direct left turn for vehicles exiting the nearby Castorama shopping centre carpark.
•
NEW BUS STOPS – at the end of August 2015, a new
bus stop was created, on both sides of al. Grunwaldzka,
next to Alchemia and the University of Gdańsk. The bus
stop is called Biblioteka Główna UG and services the lines
122, 199 and 315, further improving Alchemia’s accessibility by public transport.
•
PEDESTRIAN ACCESS UNDER PRZYMORZE
SKM STATION – at the end of May 2014, a new subterranean pedestrian access to the Przymorze-Uniwersytet
SKM (rapid suburban railway) station was built, allowing
easier access to Alchemia and the University of Gdańsk.
The investment project, which also included a wheelchair-accessible lift, greatly increased convenience and
the safety of all pedestrians and commuters – students,
employees and local residents. The project took a few
years to complete given the very time-consuming, but
much-needed consultations and permits required for all
technical aspects of the undertaking. Towards the end
of 2013, a trilateral agreement between Torus, SKM and
PLK (Polish Railway Lines) was signed; clearing the way
for tunnel construction two months later, which was completed in April 2014. The total cost of the project was 2.8m
PLN and was entirely covered by Torus.
ALCHEMIA I BICYCLE PARKING
32
ALCHEMIA I PATIO
ALCHEMIA I & II
As part of the upcoming Alchemia III building, a new right-turn
lane will be built to allow vehicle access to the complex from
ul. Kołobrzeska. Torus will also repave some of the road surface and extend the cycling paths alongside al. Grunwaldzka to
cover the entire length of the complex.
ALCHEMIA (AS SEEN FROM THE POMORSKA KOLEJ METROPOLITALNA RAILWAY)
THE OFFICIAL OPENING OF THE PRZYMORZE SKM STATION PEDESTRIAN
ACCESS TUNNEL
33
2.8 m PLN
THE COST OF THE NEW PRZYMORZE SKM STATION
SUBTERRANEAN PEDESTRIAN ACCESS,
ENTIRELY FUNDED BY TORUS
PROPERTY RENEWAL
SATELLITE PHOTOS SHOWING CHANGES TO THE INVESTMENT PROJECT AREA
URBAN PLANNING AND RENEWAL
Alchemia’s location is unique. The complex is situated at al.
Grunwaldzka, the main traffic artery of the Tricity, connecting
Gdańsk, Sopot and Gdynia, located in the dynamically developing suburb of Oliwa. What is more important is that only a
few years ago, this area looked completely different and did not
play such an important role for the city – it was dominated by
low-density industrial property and undeveloped land. Today,
PLANNED INVESTMENT PROJECT
Gdańsk Oliwa is often referred to as the Tricity’s business district, given the nearby office complexes. Within one kilometre
from Alchemia lie Olivia Business Centre and Arkońska Business Park (also developed by Torus) – together, the three complexes comprise one-third of all modern office space in the
Tricity. Also significant is the proximity of the growing campus
of the University of Gdańsk, which has helped to make this area
a buzzing study/work district.
Alchemia is largely built on the land once occupied by the nowdefunct industrial enterprise (Chemia), becoming an essential
part of the urban renewal of this area. This can be clearly seen
looking at the satellite photos of this area from 2009 and 2015,
while keeping in mind the investment project is merely halfway through its timespan. Given Alchemia’s architecture, open
character and plentiful accompanying retail services, the area
has also become a defining new element of the city.
The architectural form of Alchemia is mild, geometric-shaped
and uniform, the buildings carefully attuned despite their different heights, with the viewer’s gaze placed on the building
at the corner of the ul. Kołobrzeska intersection (i.e. Alchemia
III, currently under construction). The Alchemia complex offers
more than mere office buildings – it is a wide, accessible array
of sports and recreational facilities, health services and everyday necessities, in the nearby future offering attractive, green
repose areas.
Vehicle access from al. Grunwaldzka for all workers and visitors is minimised and diverted into the space between the
complex and the railway line. The already-built two stages of
Alchemia easily give you an idea what the complex will look like
when fully completed.
FUTURE ALCHEMIA AREA IN 2009. SOURCE: GOOGLE MAPS (MAPY-SATELITARNE.PL)
ALCHEMIA III (UNDER CONSTRUCTION)
ALCHEMIA IV (PLANNED)
ALCHEMIA I (COMPLETED)
ALCHEMIA II (COMPLETED)
ALCHEMIA II
34
ALCHEMIA IN 2015. SOURCE: GOOGLE MAPS (MAPY-SATELITARNE.PL)
35
COLLABORATION
WITH UNIVERSITIES
AND STUDENTS
COMMUNITY
INVOLVEMENT
TORUS IS WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE ACADEMIC COMMUNITY IN MANY DIFFERENT AREAS. THE ORGANISATION
ENGAGES IN SPECIFIC PROJECTS AND SHARES ITS KNOWLEDGE IN THE AREAS OF CONSTRUCTION, ARCHITECTURE
AND BUILDING ENGINEERING. MANY CONSTRUCTION
AND ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS, NOW ENGINEERS, HAD
VISITED THE CONSTRUCTION SITE OF ALCHEMIA, INDIVIDUALLY AND AS PART OF TOUR GROUPS. TORUS ALSO
OFFERS PAID INTERNSHIPS AND WORK EXPERIENCE FOR
STUDENTS OF SOME ENGINEERING DEGREES.
TORUS IS VERY ACTIVE IN BOTH CHARITY AND COMMUNITY-CENTRED INITIATIVES AND EVENTS, OFTEN COMING UP WITH
ITS OWN ORIGINAL PROJECTS. LAST YEAR, THE ORGANISATION CONTINUED MANY OF ITS CSR ACTIVITIES, INCLUDING
BLOOD DONATIONS, EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION IN CHILDREN’S SUMMER CAMPS AND SUPPORTING THE GDAŃSK HOSPICE
FOUNDATION.
OPERATION RH
This is an original Torus initiative designed to raise social
awareness of its business clients and partners. The event
involves mobile blood donation drives, held several times a year
(previously held at Arkońska Business Park, now at Alchemia),
together with a makeshift ‘regeneration zone’ for the blood
donors. Five such drives were held in 2015 (in January, May,
June, August and October), with 174 volunteers taking part and
54 litres of blood collected, which went on to reach 200 patients
(data supplied by the Gdańsk blood bank, RCKiK).
CASE WEEK
is the biggest series of engineer workshops
organised in Poland; in April 2015, the 6th edition of this event
took place in eight cities and 10 universities across the nation.
During the Tricity leg, students from the Gdańsk University of
Technology visited six different businesses, including Torus, to
learn more about them. Using Alchemia as a case study, Torus
employees showed the students the elementary principles of
LEED (the U.S.-based efficient building certification system).
The event was divided into theory and practice workshops, including a videoconference with a LEED consultant in the U.S.
The students learnt about advanced technological solutions
designed to minimise electricity and water use by as much as
a double-digit percentage and how to guarantee a high level of
energy security in a building.
ENGLISH SUMMER CAMP
2015 marked the first year of Torus involvement, allowing us to
host an unconventional architecture workshop for the young
participants. Torus representatives prepared a workshop
schedule involving specific tools, materials and tasks. The
children were invited to produce creative and unusual projects,
e.g. a ‘preschool treehouse’, ‘stadium on wheels’ or ‘Mars
disco’ and a building with a paraboloid-shaped roof.
The workshop was intended for the children to develop an
interest in architecture and urban planning, as well as to
explain the concept of urban space and the job of the architect.
Some 20 children took part in the event.
English Summer Camp is a periodic event organised by the
Project Management Institute Gdańsk, aiming to provide
intensive and fun English courses for disadvantaged children.
200 PEOPLE
RECEIVED BLOOD DONATIONS THANKS
TO OPERATION RH HELD AT ALCHEMIA IN 2015
ENGLISH SUMMER CAMP (2015)
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ON ALCHEMIA TOUR
36
OPERATION RH BLOOD DRIVE (2013)
CHILDREN’S EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOP (2013)
37
ADDED VALUE
CORPORATE
PROJECTS
ASIDE FROM PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT-RELATED ACTIVITIES, IN 2015, TORUS HELD SEVERAL EXTRA-ORGANISATIONAL PROJECTS RELATED TO SPORT AND BUSINESS.
TORUS TRIATHLON IN DA HOUSE
A truly unique, indoor triathlon competition, held in Alchemia’s
sports and recreational facilities during winter. The first edition of the event took place in February 2015, with 72 pro and
amateur contestants competing in the Sprint distance (750m
swimming, 20km cycling and 5km running). The event was
spectated and the athletes cheered on by over 300 people. It
is hoped that this extraordinary competition will become a staple event in the Polish winter sports season. The tournament’s
purpose is to promote triathlon as a sport open to all, as well
as to raise money for charity.
TORUS TRIATHLON TEAM
Torus Triathlon Team (TTT) is a group of triathlon enthusiasts, created and supported by Torus. It brings together both
pro athletes (like Bartosz Banach and Paweł Miziarski) and
numerous amateurs. Under the watchful eye of their professional coach, the teammates work on their technique, support
each other and infect others with their love of this amazing
and testing sport. In 2015, TTT athletes took part in dozens
of competitions, not limiting themselves strictly to triathlon
either. These included Tri Olsztyn (Elemental Tri Series), Torus
Triathlon In Da House, Volvo Triathlon Series, Herbalife IRONMAN 70.3 Gdynia, Maraton Kraków, Garmin Iron Triathlon,
IRONMAN Barcelona, Triathlon Gdańsk, Triathlon Sieraków,
Triathlon Charzykowy and the Ironman European Championship in Frankfurt am Main. During the season, TTT contestants
often made the event leaderboards and reached the podium.
Torus Triathlon Team is an open group; by the end of 2015 it
had 30 members.
MEETING AT THE GDAŃSK BUSINESS CENTRE CLUB (2015)
BUSINESS MEETINGS
Business Meetings is a cycle of events hosted in Alchemia,
discussing current and significant trends in regional and na-
TORUS TRIATHLON IN DA HOUSE (2015)
tional development. The inaugural meeting was held on 10
June 2015, co-hosted by the Gdańsk Business Centre Club and
Torus. The main theme of the event was the role of business
in professional sport and the role of sport in business development. The speakers invited to the meeting were Olympic
ski jumper Kamil Stoch and the president of the Polish Skiing Association, Apoloniusz Tajner. After the discussion, guests
were invited to take part in a charitable run that raised money
for orphaned children for the Gdańsk Hospice Foundation.
The 1st Business Meeting was a closed event, with 50
representatives from various Pomeranian businesses.
MEETING AT THE GDAŃSK BUSINESS CENTRE CLUB (2015)
IWONA GUZOWSKA, TORUS TRIATHLON IN DA HOUSE SPORTS DIRECTOR
38
39
OU
S ‘IF Y
HED IT
T
EFFOR
AZING
HIS AM
AUNC
EAM L
TORUS
40
DO
FEAR
T
O
N
ES
C
!
GES
N
E
L
L
HA
T
ORUS
. THE T
IA
N
T
Y
IN GD
. WITH
GLIDE
T 2015
S
E
U
R
G
T
U
E
A 7-M
N 16 A
ELD O
AFTER
TAG, H
BOUR
G
R
U
A
L
H
F
THE
ULL
SH IN
TH RED B
A SPLA
HE 5
G
T
IN
T
A
K
A
TNER
MP, M
A PAR
RE RA
Y WAS
6-MET
N
A
A
P
F
F
M
O
!
ION O
OUR C
AN FLY
TRAPT
INGS C
P’ CON
D
M
IL
U
U
J
I
VEN B
JUMP,
THAT E
OVEN
R
P
E
V
WE HA
41