Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma Architecture"
Several hundred years ago there were water reservoirs near the Szobiszowice manor. Today, all that remains of the historic landscape is a deteriorating manor house and a dug-up area. Contemporary challenges of water management and climate change are prompting a rethinking of the role of water in this space.
Sketch of the "Catch the Rain" project
© Krzysztof Szyjka
During heavy rainfall, hard surfaces quickly reach a saturation point and stop absorbing rain. Water begins to flow towards the lowest point - through wasteland and urban areas. It flows over roads, plazas and car parks, merges into larger streams that meander between existing buildings. Floodplains are created, as at the entrances to underground garages on Dworska Street. When the intensity of precipitation increases, the rainwater drainage system can no longer cope, and the water flows towards the crossing under the tracks and further towards the Klodnica River.
situation: a week of intense rainfall in June
© Krzysztof Szyjka
The biggest challenge in the "Catch the Rain" project was to consistently conduct a synthetic design process focused on increasing retention. The urban, architectural and detailing solutions developed must use blue-green infrastructure to improve local water management. Making them multifunctional has become crucial. In addition to effective water retention, the project supports biodiversity, improves the quality of public spaces, and provides social, ecological and aesthetic benefits.
situation: moderate rainfall in July
© Krzysztof Szyjka
The most difficult stage was planning and integrating the retention system into the existing topography. This required the use of several smaller reservoirs to maximize rainwater management. The system includes: building water circulation; storage and overflow reservoirs; biodiversity support elements; retention elements integrated into public spaces; and an emergency reservoir in the form of a meadow.
Sketch of the "Catch the Rain" project
© Krzysztof Szyjka
The "Catch the Rain" project is an initiative to revitalize an area in Gliwice-Szobiszowice, based on blue-green infrastructure solutions. It aims to improve water management, adapt to climate change and raise the quality of public spaces in the Silesian context. The project is in line with the strategic priorities of the Upper Silesian and Zagłębie Metropolis in terms of adaptation to climate change and the construction of coherent social spaces. The solutions contained in it can provide inspiration for revitalized and newly designed areas at risk of flooding.
Sketch of the "Catch the Rain" project
© Krzysztof Szyjka
A set of design guidelines shaped the vision of a system in which water overflows through successive designed elements, creating a blue-green axis, harmoniously combining ecological and social functions. The "Catch the Rain" project is a modern response to the challenges of water management and climate change adaptation, and is part of the drive to build a more sustainable urban space.
Sketch of the "Catch the Rain" project
© Krzysztof Szyjka
Krzysztof SZYJKA
Illustrations: © Author
