Perfect moment

They had worked hard the whole year for this. For the lights, the applause, the recognition of the sector, and for the feel of the statuette in their hands – the emotional culmination of twelve months of toil experienced by the Eurobuild Awards 2013 winners, as they proudly received their accolades at the gala ceremony on December 5th at the Warsaw Hilton Hotel. The members of the jury included 201 real estate experts – a new record for the Eurobuild Awards. The number of participants also turned out to be a record high – over 700 guests attended the ceremony. The list of Eurobuild Awards jurors is open, but the voting is secret and supervised by independent consulting company KPMG. The Eurobuild Awards gala is both a summary of what has happened in the market over the previous twelve months and a barometer of the prevailing mood of the industry. The jurors choose winners based on their own experience, knowledge and familiarity with the market. “The main factors that determine the winning of this ‘real estate Oscar’ are the number of transactions concluded and the square metres built. Thus the Eurobuild Awards winners have to build a lot of tall buildings and conclude as many transactions as possible. Another significant element is the company’s image and the likability of the candidate. So it is worth striving for measurable effects and building the company’s image, as well as making sure it is positively perceived by clients and business partners,” explains Katarzyna Matejuk, the director of the Eurobuild Awards. This year the jury awarded prizes in 16 categories covering the Polish market and eight prizes for the wider CEE market.
The best New Office Building of the Year turned out to be Plac Unii in Warsaw, which has been jointly developed by BBI Development and Liebrecht & Wood. Jurors appreciated that a landmark office centre has been added to the Warsaw skyline, which stands out in terms of its architecture and elegance. Galeria Katowicka (a project of Neinver Polska, Meyer Bergman and Polskie Koleje Państwowe), the winner of the Shopping Centre of the Year category, was described by the jury as an excellent mix of retail and transport functions, offering an attractive atmosphere for shoppers to encourage them to stay for longer. The sale of the Silesia City Center mall in Katowice was considered the Investment Transaction of the Year in Central and Eastern Europe. The value of the deal, EUR 412 mln, has caused quite a stir across the sector. The jury also appreciated Skanska’s long-term activities and efforts in support of sustainable construction. Skanska Commercial Development Europe picked up both the awards for Green Developer of the Year, CEE and the Office Developer of the Year.