The challenge: modernizing an iconic building's parking lot without downtime

Replacing the parking system at the Palace of Culture and Science is one of the more demanding tasks our industry faces. The building is visited every day by thousands of Warsaw residents, tourists, and guests attending the many cultural and business events held inside it, meaning consistently high parking traffic throughout the year. The parking lot had to remain fully functional for the entire duration of the works – users could not experience any interruption to entry, exit, or fee payment. This required precise scheduling of the works and close coordination between decommissioning the old infrastructure and progressively bringing the new devices online.

Scope of the implementation

• 4 × entry terminal CFS-S-E7 (fan-fold ticket, intercom, 7" touch screen, Mifare card reader)
• 4 × exit terminal CFS-S-X7 (fan-fold ticket retractor, intercom, 7" touch screen, Mifare card reader)
• 3 × full automatic pay station CFS
• 1 × full automatic pay station CFS designed for people with disabilities (accessible/DDA station)
• 6 × Magnetic Parking Pro barrier, 3.5 m
• 2 × Magnetic Access Pro-L barrier, 6 m

It's worth highlighting the dedicated automatic pay station designed for people with disabilities (accessible/DDA station) – a feature rarely found in standard installations, and one that carries real significance for the accessibility of urban infrastructure at a facility located in the city center and visited by such a diverse range of users.

Installation works

• decommissioning of the old ICA system, which had operated at the facility for many years
• construction works: building new parking islands, foundations for the automatic pay stations, and installing induction loops
• installation, configuration, and commissioning of a modern parking system tailored to the needs of a city-center location

Decommissioning the long-standing ICA system and replacing it with the Car Flow System solution required not only swapping out the devices themselves, but also rebuilding part of the surrounding infrastructure – new parking islands, foundations, and wiring. Construction works of this kind, carried out alongside the ongoing operation of the parking lot at a facility as prestigious and heavily used as the Palace of Culture and Science, required close coordination with the facility manager at every stage of the project.

Magnetic Parking Pro and Magnetic Access Pro-L barriers

Physical control of entry and exit at the parking lot is provided by 8 barriers drawn from two different product lines, selected for specific uses across the facility:

• 6 × Magnetic Parking Pro barrier, 3.5 m – standard entry and exit points for passenger cars
• 2 × Magnetic Access Pro-L barrier, 6 m – barriers with an extended arm, dedicated to wider lanes and to handling delivery vehicles

Using two different barrier variants made it possible to match the infrastructure to the actual width of each lane across the parking lot, rather than applying a single, universal solution everywhere. All the devices were fully integrated with the Car Flow System, enabling them to be opened and locked remotely from within the software.

The final result

The entire project was completed within three weeks, in line with the planned schedule. As a result, the Palace of Culture and Science's parking lot gained a solution that combines modern technology with elegant design. The system not only streamlines everyday use of the parking lot but also enhances the prestige of the building in which it was installed. Touch-screen terminals, automatic pay stations accessible to people with disabilities, and Magnetic barriers together form a coherent, reliable ecosystem. It's an investment that increases driver comfort while also lowering the cost of maintaining the entire infrastructure.

Benefits of modernizing the parking system

• full automation of entry and exit handling without staff involvement
• zero downtime for the parking lot during the system replacement
• infrastructure accessible to people with disabilities thanks to the accessible pay station
• barrier infrastructure matched to the actual width of each lane
• lower maintenance costs compared with the previously used ICA system
• a modern device design in keeping with the prestigious character of the location

Summary

We are proud of this project. The installation at the Palace of Culture and Science shows that our team's openness, knowledge, and experience make it possible to efficiently deliver even the most demanding projects – ones that involve decommissioning long-standing infrastructure, construction works, and commissioning a new system simultaneously, all without any interruption to the parking lot's operation at one of the most recognizable buildings in Poland. The parking system fully meets the needs of Warsaw's residents and visitors, while also fitting in with the iconic architecture surrounding it. Our clients' trust and positive feedback confirm that we are heading in the right direction.