The public debate
Greenery seems to be disappearing from Polish cities, there are fewer open squares than in the past and urban architecture lacks a cohesive sense of identity. In short, urban Poles are, more than ever, feeling a lack of common ground.
For developers, public space has always been a matter of debate - whether it is better to maximize profit, selling as much space as possible, or to leave some space open for everybody, at the cost of profit.
Even if a developer is interested in furnishing public space, deciding how best to create it can also be a challenge. For example, a playground located within a gated estate can hardly be considered a contribution towards public space. On the contrary, it is a standard amenity reserved for the residents of the estate. The small open squares with benches located near many office buildings are similar - ostensibly public, but somehow reserved.
The residents of Poland's cities, however, have a right to ask for more.
Retail leads the way
Modern contributions to public space these days are probably most visible in large multi-functional projects, usually retail centers. When developers meet with local authorities to discuss new retail projects, the latter often recommend public-space initiatives.
For example, the need to create a public space for locals was kept in mind when Galeria Victoria, which is under construction in the Lower Silesian city of Wałbrzych, was designed. Keen Property Partners' investment will provide a 1,500-seat amphitheater for open-air summer concerts and other cultural events, and will be converted to an ice rink in winter.
One developer which boasts of its cooperation with local authorities is Parkridge Retail Poland. For instance, when developing its Focus Park shopping center in Rybnik, Parkridge revitalized Pl.Wolności, a popular meeting place for city residents, planted 22 trees and built a fountain there.
Another example of retail public-space development can be seen in Wzorcownia, a multi-functional project by Budizol. The investment, located in the center of the Kujawsko-Pomorskie voivodship city of Włocławek, is described by the investor as a model for creating modern public space.
Wzorcownia, which is being developed in an old pottery production complex, will combine recreational and entertainment functions and two residential buildings. The space between these buildings will form a new town square with a fountain. Due to its proximity to the central rail and bus station, the developer believes it will become a meeting point and a venue for cultural events; its promenade will also lead to the VistulaRiver. Wzorcownia was designed in cooperation with the city authorities and is scheduled to be opened in Q3 2009.
One of the largest retail projects in recent years to give public space back to the city was the Manufaktura shopping center in Łódź. According to Iwona Zugaj of Bovis Lend Lease, which managed the construction of Manufaktura, it is one of the best examples of incorporating public space into a retail project. This revitalized former industrial property, which launched in 2006, includes three hectares of outdoor public space, two fountains, a playground and a museum.
Cost sensitivity
Many new developments have also made the contribution of public space a priority. For instance, Orco Property Group, which is developing the Złota 44 building in Warsaw, has pledged that its development will not be just an oasis for the most affluent.
"The design by Daniel Libeskind sets up a dialog with existing city space, thus benefiting all Warsaw citizens," said Beata Łosiak, a spokesperson for Orco Poland. The company plans to revitalize the area surrounding the future high-rise, providing a publicly accessible green area and high-standard outdoor architecture aimed at improving the quality of public space in Warsaw.
According to Radosław Sieroń, chairman of Mermaid Properties' management board, his company has tried to include as much quality public space as possible in its projects. He said, however, that it was not always easy to defend these ideas in the face of tough financial calculations.
"We understand public space in two ways. One is a wider space available for everybody, making it possible to implement our project into surrounding areas by constructing public squares, benches, outdoor architecture, greenery, [water infrastructure] or ground-floor retail and service outlets that open directly onto the street," said Sieroń. In his opinion, combining different building functions - such as office and service, or office and hotel - generally helps in creating public space, but this is not always feasible.
"The other way of seeing [it] is as public space within an establishment itself, such as rooms, halls, staircases and conference rooms, which serve the needs of people using the building. We have to remember however, especially with public-use establishments, tenants are sensitive about costs. After all, it is the tenants who pay for it. So the key is to carefully analyze customers' needs, as well as capabilities of the building, in order to arrange and optimally use the public space," he added.
In its Prosta 69 Business Centre project in Warsaw, Mermaid Properties decided to abandon plans to construct several parking areas and instead build a square with benches and potted plants. "To our satisfaction, the benches always seem to be occupied and the space brings more life and dynamics to the area, which positively affect the building's image," Sieroń emphasized.
For the people
For residential developments, the creation of public space is also important. New residential estates tend to be gated for safety reasons, however, and this is generally done at the expense of public space.
Not all projects are divisive, though. Garden Residence, a gated project under development by Alpha Kraków Development, will also include a publicly accessible pool and fitness club. According to Alpha Kraków's Agnieszka Gruca, the developer chose not to build the maximum number of units possible in order to furnish 7,000 sqm of greenery both inside and outside the estate.
Restaura, a company specializing in the renovation of old tenement houses, has a design philosophy that caters for "Homo Urbanus," the modern-day city dweller who wants to balance the comforts of home with the opportunity to take advantage of city infrastructure, including public space. The firm tries to fulfill the needs of Homo Urbanuswith each of its projects.
"This is a philosophy of creating cities with a friendly, healthy atmosphere for the people," explained Martyna Skibińska of Goodbrand & Company Polska, which helped Restaura develop the Homo Urbanusdesign philosophy.
The firm's Restaura Kameralna and Restaura Górskiego projects in Warsaw, as well as its Restaura Marathon Gardens scheme in Poznań, are all residential developments which try to minimize the negative aspects of city life while providing access to recreational, cultural and work spaces. At Restaura Kameralna, for example, only 30 percent of nearly three hectares of land will be developed, leaving the rest as park land, with tall trees, playgrounds, squares and gazebos.
Restaura's renovation projects are also engaged with Homo Urbanus in mind. "As part of this strategy, Restaura intends to bring back to the cities their former glow and to enable residents to discover beautiful, harmonic city spaces," Skibińska concluded.
