Dutch architects MVRDV have unveiled plans for an 18-storey tower in Poznań, Poland, with staggered floors like a giant staircase.

The Baltyk Tower will be the firm's first project in the country and will be located beside a major transport interchange in Poznań's city centre, making it visible from several dual carriageway approaches.

Concrete louvres will shade the building's glazed facade.

Its tiered volume is shaped by the height and volume restrictions placed on the site by local planning authorities. The building will predominantly contain offices but will also include shops and a restaurant with a single hotel room.

MVRDV caused a stir at the end of last year when they designed two skyscrapers that many thought resembled the exploding World Trade Centre on 9/11. See images of the project here.

See all our stories about MVRDV »

Here's some information from the architects:

Baltyk Tower, Poznań: first MVRDV project in Poland

Investment corporation Sophia Sp. z.o.o and MVRDV present the Baltyk Tower, to be realised in the Polish city of Poznań. The office tower with a total surface of 25.000 m² will be located at Rondo Kaponiera at the Eastern entrance to the historic city and will feature retail and a panorama restaurant with a proposed one room hotel. Completion is scheduled for 2014.

The tower’s volume follows the maximal volume and height restriction of the site. This leads to a shape resulting in a totally different contour when approached from different sides. Towards the south a slope of cascading patios will offer outside spaces to the users of the building. The façade is envisioned floor-to-ceiling glass with vertical louvers of glass fibre concrete softening the impact of the sun without losing the vista over the city and zoo.

The 25.000m² are divided into 12.000m² office space, 750m² panorama restaurant featuring most likely a one room hotel, 1350m² retail in the plinth of the building and three levels of underground parking. The flexible office space is limited to a depth of seven metres allowing daylight to generously penetrate the work spaces.

The Baltyk tower will be built at Rondo Kaponiera, a major intersection next to the central train station and the road towards the airport. The building will benefit from the close vicinity of the Sheraton hotel, the currently restored Concordia printing house, a new creativity centre for business and the MTP international fair building.

Baltyk tower is the first building by MVRDV in Poland. Sophia Sp. z o.o is a joint venture of Garvest and Vox Group. Buro Happold is structural engineer, MEP and sustainability advisor for the envisioned BREEAM “Very Good” rating. Co-architect is Ultra Architects, a local office from Poznań.