The project Towards the city is an attempt to present a new approach to the principles of a functional settlement based on the Le Corbusier’s ideas as well as to restore the urban rhythm of life in the places such as big car parks, closed internal roads or degraded green areas. It is essential to pay a particular attention to the quality of city life, which is mostly dependent on the quality of the public space around us and on the variety of accessible functions. This is indispensable in order to take advantage of the potential of the economic migration and to live up to the expectations of the ageing population.
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
The strategic site is not highly advanced as far as the system of public space is concerned. This is particularly noticeable in the western part, which lacks continuity and clear connections between public places. An insufficient number of squares, a lack of local neighbourhood spaces, neglected green areas and a low quality of the equipment and attractiveness of streets, abounding with cars, discourage residents to perform any outdoor activities.
In order to define major problems and opportunities for improvement, the project site has been divided into four zones of distinctive morphologies and functional structures of the quarters. Thus, it is possible to determine some characteristic features of the particular competition areas as well as to take appropriate measures contributing to the revival of their urban nature.
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Zone A:
The eastern part of Za Żelazną Bramą settlement is characterised by diverse buildings and a strong historical association with the park. Apart from the residential buildings and the educational facilities from the 70s, there are also some service buildings erected after 1989 and the buildings, which are directly connected with the Saxon Axis – the Lubomirski Palace, the Mirów’s Halls and the barracks’ buildings. The area around the halls and the palace is currently occupied with the substandard commercial buildings and car parks. In the southern quarter, there is a post-war Jewish theatre and a synagogue, which is accessible only by the internal roads. Modern buildings have tightly filled free spaces on the both sides of Grzybowska Street, creating quite a dense frontage of a metropolitan character.
Strategic site zoning
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
The solutions introduced in this part of the settlement constitute an attempt to form the square Za Żelazną Bramą, situated in front of the Lubomirski Palace, by providing new buildings both on the northern and the southern part of the square. It has been also proposed to develop a marketplace between the halls in such a way that would enable it to become a roofed urban square once the trade is finished. The southern quarter includes, on the other hand, some public space as well as new buildings, which create an urban square for a local community in front of the synagogue.
Zone A development proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Zone B:
A part of the settlement situated on the western site of Jan Paweł II Avenue is definitely less developed than the eastern part. New investments have been implemented merely along Jan Paweł II Avenue. The majority of the buildings consist of blocks of flats, service centres and educational facilities from the 60s and 70s. The inner city built-up area from the XIXth century constitutes a minor part of the zone and is not integrated with the rest. Square car parks are one of the major challenges of the quarters as they occupy the place of green areas between the blocks. Degraded and unequipped, the green areas can no longer serve as a place of meetings and recreation. Furthermore, closed internal roads often hamper the access to some lots, which does not dispose of the right-of-way.
Complementary buildings, which create a natural boundary between the public and the private space, were introduced to set the urban tone and, at the same time, to preserve the existing buildings, whereas the creation of local public squares and the introduction of social functions in every quarter serve as a revival of neighbourly relations between residents.
Zone A - example part concept
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Zone C:
Post-industrial areas and degraded housing buildings in the eastern part of the strategic site constitute a place of intensive investment actions. The extensiveness of the unoccupied and undeveloped post-factory areas opens a wide range of opportunities for a new building complex of the inner city.
Zone B - development proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Condensing the existing structure of streets renders it possible to create a central square, which integrates the remaining post-factory buildings with the new city structures. In order to fully preserve the previous post-factory complex in the southern part, it has been proposed to provide an open access to the interior part of the complex and to introduce cultural and entertainment functions.
Zone C - development proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Zone D:
The housing buildings arranged in the system of the open quarters constitute a characteristic feature of socialist realism Mirów settlement, dated back from the turn of the 50s and 60s. Clear boundaries between the public and the private space, organized streets’ frontages and a local square provide the entire complex with the urban character. The whole might be considered as a finished part of the city, which solely requires the improvement of the green areas’ quality and the streets’ equipment.
Zone C - example part concept
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
The project site, situated between Krochmalna Street, Waliców Street, Grzybowska Street and Ciepła Street, is one of a few settlement areas, which remain untouched by the new investments. The complete quarter’s buildings is dated back to the 70s and consists of 3 blocks of flats, a retail sales centre, an outpatient clinic and a kindergarten. The residential buildings provide from 300 to 420 flats, mostly inhabited by individual persons.
Zone D - development proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
These are young people who constitute the majority of residents. Older people and a Vietnamese community create the second most numerous group of residents. Small flats are not highly conducive to families with many children, which is why this group constitutes an insignificant number of residents. Due to the ongoing demographic changes, it seems probable that this trend will become more common and, as a result, the settlement will be mostly inhabited by very young people, who will domicile in Warsaw merely during their education or for economic purposes, and by older people. The implementation of a diversified functional programme and a friendly public space would be an apt response to the new needs of rotating residents.
Project site analysis
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
A public drive has been introduced in order to enable an easy access to every lot without having to dispose of the right-of-way in the middle of the quarter. A small square, which serves as a place of meetings, local fests and concerts, adjoins the new street. External stairs link the square with an adjoining building. The stairs may also serve as seats during various events. The building itself is an adaptation of the existing facility. The new functional programme is mainly aimed at students. It includes a public laundry combined with a coffee bar club, a bike parking with a cycle shop and a bike service, and a sport part situated on the roof of the building.
Project site - development proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
The kindergarten, which disposes of new additional classrooms, neighbours on the public square. The new part of the kindergarten has been shaped in a patio building form in order to provide total privacy. The ground floor of the old part of the building has been transformed into a spacious classroom for the eurythmic classes. The main entrance to the extended building can be reached from the side of the green square.
Youth spot
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
A multi-level parking has replaced the square parking in the western part of the quarter. On the building’s roof there is an urban farm, constructed in a form of terraces, which is mostly aimed at older residents, who would like to unwind by taking up some simple agricultural works. Next to the farm, there is a small roofed square in the north-western corner of the quarter. During the day, it serves as a fruit and vegetable market whose products come also from the urban farm. At night and during the winter season, it is arranged as a regular urban square.
Kindergarten
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
An office building equipped with the co-working space for residents working in their flats adjoins the square. From the Krochmalna Street side, there is a local club that belongs to the office building. This provides a great opportunity to organise numerous social and professional meetings as well as parties for the local community – especially for those residents who dispose of the limited housing conditions.
Multi-level parking building + city farm
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
In the southern part of the quarter, there is an outpatient clinic with the new entrance, which was created once the atrium was opened to the adjoining passage. As the number of older people is increasing, the outpatient clinic has been expanded by a rehabilitation unit and an open-access bistro. Once the clinic is closed, the bistro remains open as it functions independently as a place of meetings and entertainment for older people.
City dune - office building
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Between two blocks of flats, the local club and the clinic, there is a neighbourhood space which serves as a recreational area to relax and take some rest. The area has been shaped in a way which clearly indicates the boundary between the residential part and a drive to the clinic and car parks. In order to render the landscape more varied, the central part of the area has been elevated by introducing a few hills.
City dune - clinic
© Tomasz Bierzanowski . Published on July 18, 2014.
A green area along Grzybowska Street creates the southern boundary of the quarter. Currently, this place functions as a system of two independent passages. The passage situated near Grzybowska Street is mostly frequented by people from the outside the settlement, who need access to public communication stops. The pedestrian passage along the buildings is sporadically used by the quarter’s residents. It usually serves as a way to the clinic.
In order to free the potential of this city, the lawn has been transformed into an urban passage with benches and lights that encourage to take a walk or some rest. The passage constitutes a transition between the local public space inside the quarter and the public area of the city centre.
City dune
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.
Green passage - current condition and concept proposal
© Tomasz Bierzanowski, Artur Królewicz. Published on July 18, 2014.