Construction of the first phase of the housing development on the site of the former Gdańsk Kłodno station has been completed. Along with the new buildings, a public boulevard along the Old Motława River has been created, replacing the neglected waterfront.
Gdańsk’s downtown is expanding rapidly. New developments are filling vacant lots, including those in Dolne Miasto and Stare Przedmieście, as well as those located right on the Motława River. One such location is the site of the former Brama Nizinna railway station (later renamed Gdańsk Kłodno) in the area of Toruńska Street and the historic bastions.
A thousand apartments on the site of the former station
It was here in 1852 that Gdańsk’s first railway station opened (at the time, the area was part of the Kingdom of Prussia). In 1900, Gdańsk Główny Station took over its functions. The station ceased to serve passengers at that time, but freight traffic continued. In the 1990s, Gdańsk Kłodno was closed, and in 2011, the last tracks were dismantled.
Off Miasto on Toruńska Street
Photo: Invest Komfort
Three years later, the site was purchased from the railway company by Invest Komfort of Gdynia for over 26 million PLN. The development design was selected in 2018 through a closed architectural competition organized by the developer. Five architectural firms were invited to participate: KD Kozikowski, Arch Deco, BJK Architekci, Bulanda Mucha, and JEMS Architekci.
The design by BJK Architekci won; as members of the competition jury emphasized, the jury considered “architectural proposals reflecting the style of a city emerging in the contemporary era” to be the most important value of the architectural solutions.
In the first phase of the new development on the site of the former Brama Nizinna train station, 174 apartments were built
mat, Invesy Komfort
We strove to provide residents with a sense of privacy while simultaneously making decisions that emphasized the urban character of the development. “Urban” in this context refers to the open nature of the layout. It’s an invitation to participate not only for the immediate residents but for all Gdańsk residents and tourists,” commented Tomasz Janiszewski of BJK Architekci on the competition victory in an interview with the local “Gazeta Wyborcza.”
The development of the former Kłodno train station site, known as Off Miasto, is a large-scale project: the ultimate goal is to build as many as 1,000 apartments and several dozen commercial spaces, as well as public spaces. There will be cafes, restaurants, boutiques, artisan workshops, and service outlets.
New Waterfront
The first phase has just been completed: over 170 apartments have been built in two new buildings. The facades are finished with hand-molded brick. The development reflects the character of this part of the city: it consists of urban blocks with inner courtyards, commercial spaces on the ground floors, and open communal areas. The building forms are varied by recessed top floors, terraces, balconies, and windows of varying proportions. As a result, individual sections of the development have distinct characters but form a cohesive whole.
Off Miasto was designed by the architectural firm BJK Architekci
Invest Komfort
One of the major changes in this part of the city is the opening of the renovated waterfront along the Stara Motława Canal. The previously undeveloped waterfront area has been transformed into a boulevard with greenery, stairs leading down to the water, and a playground. It will open to residents in September.
How much greenery on the roofs?
Green roofs were one of the strengths of BJK Architekci’s winning concept. In the completed project, however, their total area is smaller than shown in the renderings. According to the developer, all possible areas were planted with greenery.
The new publicly accessible waterfront and Off Miasto recreational area
Photo: Invest Komfort
“These are fresh sedum plantings. It will take time and rain for the vegetation to grow,” explains Maja Banaszczyk of Invest Komfort.
The first phase of the project appears successful in terms of the quality of the materials used and the workmanship of the facade. However, concerns may arise regarding the future use of the apartments under construction. In this part of Gdańsk, many units in new developments are purchased with short-term rentals in mind.
We won’t be able to avoid short-term rentals until appropriate regulations are introduced at the national level. Premium developments, which offer larger apartments, aren’t as attractive to those seeking short-term rentals, however,” says the investor’s representative.
Recreational areas within Off Miasto
Source: Invest Komfort
