How to deal with the problem of an aging society? The answer may be Julia Stradowska's graduation project entitled. "Social Connection Space XYZ in Radom" made under the supervision of Dr. Joanna Kubicz at the Faculty of Interior Design of the Jan Matejko Academy of Fine Arts in Cracow.
With the development of medicine and technology, human life expectancy is increasing. However, is architecture conducive to seniors? A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts proposed a solution to connect generations and integrate society. Julia Stradowska chose a section of the Jagiellonian Square in Radom, located in the central part of the city, as the study area. In the design assumptions she took into account the existing urban greenery, inscribing the body of the new building into the surrounding landscape and preserving the existing traffic paths.
The project is three independent objects
© Julia Stradowska
XYZ
The author selected three fragments of land on which independent objects were created: X, Y and Z. Their functional program was adapted to the idea of intergenerationalism. It consists of adapted spaces that allow for joint work, lectures, performances and exhibitions, as well as numerous places for meetings and relaxation. The first floor of Building X is a checkroom and workshop rooms, where both creative classes and rehearsals for performances take place.
Level 0 in Building Y is administration and a cafeteria. On level -1, the facilities are connected by a common reception area with a checkroom and waiting room. This space also functions as an auditorium and lounge area. Building Z connects to the others via a courtyard with a small plaza and fountain, surrounded by fine vegetation. The roofs of each building have been covered with greenery, and one of them (Y) can be accessed. To its left a mini garden open to users was created, and to the right a space for an outdoor cinema was designed. Each of the spaces has been connected by an efficient communication system suitable for the elderly and disabled.
The buildings have an industrial character, and their aesthetics draw from the communist era
© Julia Stradowska
construction
The premise is based on a monolithic reinforced concrete structure with prestressed elements and was founded on a reinforced concrete foundation slab. The load-bearing walls of the buildings are twenty-five centimeters thick and were made of reinforced concrete, while the partition walls are twelve centimeters thick and were made of truss bricks. In the staircases, steel stairs were placed on cheek beams. The ceilings were made of reinforced concrete twenty cm thick. Roof coverings are green soffits with inverted layers. The post-and-beam facades were covered with wooden panels in a brownish-black shade, imitating the shade of the bark of the trees growing around, while the visible plaster walls were covered in anthracite color. The panels have been arranged in a seemingly irregular manner and soften the geometrized modernist character of the blocks, integrating the whole into the surrounding landscape.
interiors
Julia Stradowska wanted the interiors of the "Social Connection Space" to be associated with coziness and tranquility, and the selected furnishings referred to styles familiar to their users. Therefore, she chose the aesthetics of the People's Republic of Poland as her main inspiration, refreshing it and supplementing it with classics from the Bauhaus and modernism of the 1950s and 1960s. In addition, the modernist and simple body of "Spaces" allows the introduction of industrial fragments, which, combined with a soft color scheme, at times brings to mind minimalism. The aesthetics of the interiors are adapted to their function - the cafe spaces are more representative, while those intended for exhibitions and workshops, allow concentration. The materials used to finish the space include wood, tile, terra cotta and steel elements. The furnishings were adapted to the age of the users, the author chose armchairs and sofas with high seats with armrests, round tables and coffee tables, cabinets and chests of drawers popular in the communist era, complemented by delicate floral accents.
The color scheme is a combination of beiges and blues with grays
© Julia Stradowska
intergenerational colors
The colors of both furniture and interiors were chosen according to a color palette suggesting preferences of different age groups. Julia Stradowska chose a common part from it, corresponding to the tastes of the largest age range. The result is a combination of beiges and blues, which were mainly the choices of children and the elderly, with modern grays and sjena accents, chosen by young people and adults. The choice of such a juxtaposition allowed the interiors of the industrial architecture to become warmer.
The project was awarded in the "Font Not Font" diploma list. 2019.
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illustrations courtesy of Julia Stradowska
