Gliwice relative to Katowice has a longer history. They also have relatively more students of the Silesian University of Technology. They also have a larger in terms of audience, the Prezero Arena. Gliwice was supposed to be part of the Tri-City (Dreistädteeinheit Gleiwitz-Hindenburg-Beuthen was the idea of connecting Gliwice, Zabrze and Bytom during the Third Reich), but Katowice is not. They also have a real market and one of the largest wooden structures in Europe. On the other hand, no one has named the international airport "Gliwice" or the huge steel mill in Dąbrowa Górnicza. Nor is Gliwice the capital of anything. And most significantly in recent times - they don't have skyscrapers either. And this is what they want to change in Gliwice.
Visualization
© Trust Investment
every David has his Goliath
The community of Gliwice has changed very dynamically over the centuries. So much so that the German fabric was replaced by a Polish one. This took place under drastic circumstances, nevertheless it would seem that it was a dramatic change. In language, the way of thinking about the world and life, or social values. Meanwhile, Gliwice residents, regardless of who they have been over the centuries, have great ambitions. This place makes people here feel strong and want their city to be important not only in the region, but also on the map of Poland. The architecture, the number of high-tech companies, universities, quality of life and many other indicators say so. However, they have just those "unfortunate" for them Katowice - the center of the Silesian universe, where there is life, prospects, media and, above all, tall glass buildings.
Skyscrapers project
© Trust Investment
need for freshness
Gliwice is that city in the Silesian conurbation that has prestige written on its walls, but also has a lot of empty space at its heart. But it won't be long now, as DL Invest will build the Prime I office and retail complex on the huge site formerly occupied by the Gliwice Steelworks. In the next phase, the buildings are expected to get taller and taller, growing to the tallest, 24-story section. Trust Investment of Kielce, meanwhile, has decided to acquire the land and buildings of the former Hugo Scobel Brewery next door. In this sizable quarter, which had stood fallow for years, the investor decided to create a mixed-use space combining residential, service and recreational functions.
According to company representatives:
"This is the largest revitalization project in Gliwice in recent years, which has a chance to really change the face of this part of the city and become its new showcase. The site of the former brewery, which today is inaccessible to residents and is gradually deteriorating, may soon be transformed into a modern, vibrant micro-district. We plan to create a modern dining concept within the historic walls of the brewery, and unique lofts and office spaces in the former malt house building. We want this place to harmoniously combine heritage with modernity, which is why we attach so much importance to preserving the historic character of the buildings and their careful restoration. The space between the buildings will be filled with greenery, which will occupy as much as 50% of the entire area, giving this part of the city a completely new character. In addition, the entire area will be excluded from automobile traffic, allowing it to be fully adapted for recreational and social functions. The project will also include pedestrian and bicycle routes that will integrate the site with the rest of the city.
The architectural office FRANTA GROUP Architekt Maciej Franta of Maciej Franta is responsible for this remarkable project.
The revitalized space
© Trust Investment
what we have and what we dream of
It is this investment that is emblematic in the discussion of the Local Land Use Plan, which was recently debated by city officials. Residents opposed a change in the law that would allow high-rise buildings up to 100 meters high. They feared shading, a burden on the city's infrastructure, and that it would be too strong a dominant presence amid historic, several-story turn-of-the-century buildings. After a heated debate, aldermen ultimately refused to approve the resolution and thus blocked the construction for the moment. So I decided to gather some insights on whether Gliwice should be steeped in the proposed form. I asked the city planner of Gliwice, Ms. Agata Twardoch, how she views the construction of high-rise buildings:
The current discussion should have already taken place four years ago, when the Local Development Plan for the neighboring plot of land after the steelworks was passed. This is where the buildings that will permanently change the silhouette of the city will stand. As for the investment on Beer Street, one needs to look at the matter more broadly. After an in-depth analysis, I conclude that the skyscrapers will complement the buildings being built next door with their height and will fit in well with the city's landscape. The skyscrapers are to be built in the center of the quarter and this low development will make them invisible from street level. It is a completely different plot, but the impact of these buildings on the city center will be less than in the case of the former steel mill plot. Gliwice needs high-rise development to become a partner for Katowice and to be a center that gives balance within the metropolis. This investment is also a new kind of resident, which is essential for the city.
I then made the same inquiry to the investor, Trust Investment:
The introduction of a modern but thoughtfully designed high-rise development can not only have a positive impact on the city's landscape, but also strengthen its position as an important business and academic center. Inspired by the direction that Katowice, for example, has been following for years, Gliwice has a chance to create its own axis of high-rise development - giving the city a more metropolitan and prestigious character and opening up new development opportunities. The high-rise development envisioned in our plan may become a symbol of contemporary Gliwice - a city that is dynamic, open for business and investment, and at the same time attractive to residents. It's also a way to keep young, ambitious people here, who today often choose other cities in search of a modern space to live and work.
I also asked Gliwice activist Ms. Małgorzata Tkacz-Janik for her insights:
Like many Gliwice activists, I don't stand on the firm position that 100-meter-high buildings should not be built in the city. Skyscrapers do not appear to us as evil per se, however, they are a concept that is in many ways outdated, but at the same time functionally they are sometimes useful. Rather, it is about other issues. About communication with residents, or participation. The new authority, after a quarter-century of reign of the previous one, promised us this in the campaign. We would like a better justification of the project, a thorough study of the urban, cultural and social context, as well as the relationship of the potential skyscrapers to the surroundings (e.g., traffic flows there). To the entire city, by the way - perfectly designed 100 years ago by Karl Schabik. We would also like to know what we will achieve by working with this particular developer. Because I don't think anyone - it's not a handout in the form of a wall repair or a piece of freshly made square in place of Scobel Brewery. The developer began working with a city stifled and manipulated for 30 years by the previous government. The situation has changed - residents and authorities, one and the other still very cautiously, but they are taking a step towards co-determination. This is not a "brawl over skyscrapers" or, as others say, "stopping the development of Gliwice," but a lapping up of new standards of communication between the authorities and residents. This is what we hope.
Shared space
© Trust Investment
Gliwice from a world perspective
I remember like yesterday my visit to the Eiffel Tower. I was looking towards La Defense (the 21st district of Paris, known as the 21st century district, which is a cluster of skyscrapers and offices). I always sigh at the memory of this view, because it is an example of forward-thinking planning and finding a place within the city for the era and its possibilities. Of course, respecting the historical fabric. It is also an example of idealistic thinking that was able to come to fruition in some aspect. I wonder why it is that it is not possible to think like this everywhere, preserving different local forms and harmony. Then I remind myself that in Silesia we are supposed to have a metropolis. Apparently, one of the real kind. And I want so much for it to preserve its diversity. And for this diversity to be preserved, there must be equivalents. Polycentricity can save the metropolis from boredom. Katowice's Chorzowska Street will be bathed for years in sunlight reflected from glass panes. It will be that avenue where reinforced concrete structures will don ever fancier dresses, made of ever fancier materials. The question is, does Katowice have to be the only one? They don't have to be, but if somewhere else, within the conurbation, such buildings are to be built, let it be done with all the experiences from different parts of the world, in order to avoid mistakes and not to do harm to the place and the people who live in it.
