Every city has its places of shame, which are looked upon with disapproval by residents and tourists. To date, metropolises have done better with the problem of such places, but in medium-sized cities good private residential architecture has almost never appeared. The Tarnowskie Browary project by APA Wojciechowski Architects, however, shows that this potential can also have a precedent outside the major centers.
post-industrialism without industrialism
The history of the site on Krakowska Street in Tarnow is an interesting example of the fragility of industrial areas, which have been disappearing from the landscape of Polish cities over the past years - as Marek Szymaniak described in Zapaść. For almost 180 years, right on the main road of Tarnów, there was a brewery of the Dukes of Sanguszko, which for a long time competed with breweries in the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
At the peak of the factory's development, at the end of the 19th century, 30,000 hectoliters of beer were produced here annually, which could account for as much as 17% of the entire production of this beverage in Galicia. Being one of the largest factories in the city and the region, the brewery covered a significant quarter between the train station and the Old Town. The factory's greatness ended during World War II, with its destruction by the Germans and nationalization.
The brewery was one of the largest suppliers of beer in Galicia and Lodomeria
© Public Domain
Despite the destruction of the war, the communist era saw the beginning of another phase of life for this part of the city - the nationalized plant changed its character and name. Since 1951, "Owintar" produced primarily fruit and vegetable preserves and alcoholic beverages, including the "famous banquet" or "Apple Blossom." In this formula, the company survived the entire communist period until the transformation. Finally, the factory was closed in 1998. The communist period, as well as the 2000s, brought considerable damage to the architectural substance of the 19th-century factory.
Of the post-factory grounds, only a fragment of the building and the chimney have survived, and it has been entered in the register of historical monuments. The area is thus largely post-industrial, although most of the substance no longer exists.
long years of waiting
Since the collapse of the plants, new owners of the site have appeared several times, who floated plans to create a shopping mall or high-rise buildings at the site. There were changes of owners, but regardless of the vision and possibilities the plans never came to fruition. The last commercial project was conceived around 2020 and envisaged the construction of a modern housing development, but the bone of contention was to be the arrangements with the land conservator.
The site of the former brewery, however, fired the imagination of more than just its owners. In 2018, the Tarnów City Hall organized an architectural competition (it was not a SARP competition), even though the site was not owned by the city. To this day, it is difficult to pinpoint the logic behind this action, although it shows an extremely important thing - this space was and is important for the local community.
Another interesting example was the commissioning by the local Chamber of Industry and Commerce of a concept for the development of the area - the creation of a "new heart of Tarnów" in this part of the city. The author of the concept was Dr. Wieslaw Michalek, and the project included an elaborate vision based mainly on the creation of cultural and sports edifices.
The concept for this space was sought not only by investors or the city, but also by the local chamber of commerce
© Youtube
a hole in the middle of everything
Regardless of the attempts made over the years to build something on the site after "Owintar," each of them ended without success. The lack of change in this space exacerbated the local sense of "unassimilation" and highlighted the city's problems. The remains of the factory, essentially an empty space, were in one of the best possible locations - literally next to the train station and the former bus station, and at the same time in close proximity to the city center, which is the cultural center of Tarnów and the region. The lack of activity in this space built social tensions and pessimism.
That's why the latest project by APA Wojciechowski Architekci studio, commissioned by CD Locum, raises high hopes, although it is still accompanied by some uncertainty. The project itself surpasses all previous development activity in Tarnow since the construction of the Mościce district, being able to compete in its comprehensive approach only with the Dr. Book house designed by Wojciech Pietrzyk. The investment was covered by the so-called administrative fast track within the Tarnów City Hall, during which each meeting was supported by the presence of the director of the Department of Entrepreneurship Support helping the investor contact the various departments.
tarnów breweries (proj. APA Wojciechowski Architekci)
© Press Material CD Locum
more than new space
Developer traffic in medium-sized cities is, of course, much smaller than in metropolises, resulting in rare, complex projects covering several hectares. Most developers are carrying out developments of no more than 2 buildings, with practically no reputable architectural studios involved. The reason is simple - the margins are not attractive, and competition is not always based on quality.
That's why APA Wojciechowski Architekci's concept for CD Locum stands out for its diligence and holistic approach. The very fact that this studio was chosen, and the involvement of others (at the concept stage, the project was created by Medusa Group, among others, which published it on its website) is changing the image of local architecture. The last SARP competition was held here in 2009. The concept for the development of "Tarnowskie Browary" includes, among other things, the preservation of scenic axes, with the Missionary Church dominating the surroundings and the characteristic chimney - one of the few remnants of the former factories. For this reason, the investment has also been received with unusual enthusiasm by the city authorities. Tarnów's mayor, Jakub Kwaśny, says bluntly that "history is happening before our eyes," paraphrasing the investment's guiding slogan - "History that builds the future."
The remains of the factory buildings will be restored, and the new part is to refer to it
© CD Locum Press Material
common places and direct references
The estate is not to be fenced off. The common space, around which services will appear - a nursery, kindergarten, catering and medical facilities - will be open, while a semi-private space for residents is planned between the buildings. Freeing up space is made possible by restricting car traffic to underground garages. Outside, Carlos Moreno's idea of a 15-minute city is to prevail - the space will belong to pedestrians. Opening up to the city may also change the face of the old town, and the new residents will aid revitalization processes.
The architecture itself draws heavily on local heritage - the most important element is the dominance and prominence of brick. The management building after the brewery is to be renovated and lowered - next to the chimney, it is the only remnant of the 19th-century buildings. The project also includes green elements - tree and shrub plantings, as well as green roofs that can improve microclimatic conditions. Basic retention solutions have also been planned, allowing rainwater to be retained and used for the estate. Also important in the context of connecting spaces is the direct connection to the plantations adjacent to the estate, which are to be revitalized in the coming years.
The spaces between the buildings are to be dominated by pedestrian traffic
© Press material CD Locum
good reception, even greater expectations
The "Tarnów Breweries" concept, along with the way it was presented, has aroused a lot of joy, while not putting to sleep the doubts that have been building up for almost 30 years. These expectations stem not only from the fact that Tarnów residents have been looking at a hole in the ground in the city center for years. It's also a matter of the concept itself, which presents a holistic approach, an understanding of the site's history and reaches for ambitious solutions. This is the second such large-scale architectural project in Tarnów this year - the first was the Arche Group's announcement of the renovation of the Szancer Mill.
Such open and qualitative development activities have so far only been seen in Krakow, Warsaw or Gdansk. The appearance of such a vision in a medium-sized city, which lost its provincial function in the late 1990s, shows that ambitious concepts can also be created in places like Tarnow. It is an incentive to invest and live right here. Such a change in attitude and the involvement of private capital allows us to believe in the reversal of negative trends. We are expected to see the first results by 2028.
