Gdansk has lived to see an urban architect. Professor Piotr Lorens has a difficult task ahead of him - the city is often referred to as a "republic of developers," and activists regularly reproach City Hall for its controversial decisions in urban planning. We talk to Gdansk's first architect about, among other things, why he won't agree to an underground parking garage in the oldest part of the city, whether he sees a future for the abandoned stadium area, how many more skyscrapers he would give his permission for, and which of the neglected neighborhoods he dreams of renovating the most.
Maciej Bąk: Were you surprised that for so many years Gdańsk did not have its own urban architect?
Piotr Lorens: I'll put it this way: maybe it wasn't so much surprising, but, it seems to me, the need for someone like that has become very apparent in the last two years. Up to that point, there was a vice-president in Gdansk who was responsible for spatial development. And you could say that he was de facto performing the function of the city architect, only under a different name. Then there were organizational changes in the office and there was a need to appoint an additional person to bind it all together.
Maciej Bąk: So you will be a bit of a vice-president now?
Piotr Lorens: Absolutely not, and I am absolutely not going for such a position. I am interested in substantive issues, and I stay as far as possible from all politics - local or central. On top of that, let's remember that there are new challenges all the time, which were not so visible before. Let's mention the issues of caring for the quality of architecture or something that has been very much in the news lately, namely the shaping of urban greenery. They have strongly taken on weight now. Plus, for example, the need for the city to take a stand on difficult issues like the development of Westerplatte or other areas. It was decided that there is a need for someone to take such an unambiguous position. Let us also remember that such an architect functions in many cities, but in very different formal conditions. From a consultative function all the way up to a person even being the head of many city units.
Maciej Bąk: I don't know if you'll agree with me, but in Gdansk, as probably in no other large city, the problem of architecture and attention to its quality is extremely pressing. It arouses much more controversy here than elsewhere. This may mean that you will have a more difficult task than your professional colleagues.
Piotr Lorens: Whether it will be more difficult - that remains to be seen. There will certainly be tasks requiring a lot of strength and energy, but also giving rise to the need to establish other, new procedures of procedure, not necessarily included in Polish law so far. I'm talking mainly about soft, consultative measures, which I would like to introduce in order to avoid problems already at the implementation stage. Because when the excavator enters the construction site, it's too late to discuss which site should go earlier. And Danzigers are indeed highly sensitive to issues of the quality of architecture and the shape of zoning. After all, there are many websites or portals that pay a great deal of attention to this issue. I don't know if more than in other cities, but certainly a lot.
Maciej Bąk: Are you afraid that you will be sticking to you, at least at first, such a patch of architect not so much of the city, but of that famous "republic of developers"?
Piotr Lorens: I am absolutely not afraid of that. It is not my goal to promote certain solutions at any cost. I have the luxury of having an independent position, including professionally and academically, so I can afford to promote solutions that are simply mine and not those of other circles.
Maciej Bak: The question is, is what I'm hearing from you now the standard idealistic approach presented at the beginning of your work, which will later be brutally verified by reality? However, will you be leading the rule of a strong hand, in addition, a hand with great competence?
Piotr Lorens: Contrary to appearances, I will not be highly competent at all. Fortunately or unfortunately, it's hard to say now. On the other hand, there are certainly high expectations of me, I can already see this from the first meetings, conversations and contacts with councilors or representatives of local communities. And I have the impression that it is not the intention of the municipal authorities to push certain solutions by force. There are, of course, some things that are wrong, while they can always be discussed further. Here let me bring up a rather controversial topic - underground parking lots under the Old Town Embankment.
Maciej Bąk: Are you against it?
Piotr Lorens: I am against it, I think it is a mistake and the city authorities know my opinion on the matter. This solution pushed by City Hall a few years ago is a bit from another era and should be reviewed. I, for one, am not saying that I am against parking lots within the downtown area at all, because I am not. Just maybe let's not necessarily locate them in a place where you have to drive through half a neighborhood to get there and leave your car in one of the most valuable pieces of open green space in the city, cutting down more trees in the process.
Maciej Bąk: And what will the Young City in the post-shipyard areas be like under your rule? The controversial Bastion of the Embankment is already there and you will not lower it....
Piotr Lorens: That's for sure. On the other hand, let's remember that new conditions have emerged in the context of the Young City. The first issue is the issued decision and the already started implementation of the Doki project, which is undoubtedly a certain standard for the way this space is shaped. The same is true of YIT's Finnish project. The second issue is the question of preservation of the Imperial Shipyard and the area of the so-called Schichau Shipyard. And, finally, the future fate of the possible entry of the post-shipyard areas on the UNESCO list. The development of the Doki project, on the other hand, already shows a certain direction in shaping this space. This is no longer a discussion, it is simply being built! There is a hole dug, concrete is pouring, the crane is standing, so it is clear that in a year or two this place will look different. And with the vision of this area, the vision of the development of the neighboring Imperial Shipyard must, in my opinion, be consistent. On the other hand, the general problem for this part of the city is that for a good dozen years there has been no single vision for its shaping. I myself did the last study of the entire area in 2006 with my colleagues from the Gdansk University of Technology. Today, meanwhile, individual landowners take a slightly different approach to the issue, the conservationist is contesting this, and we have a discussion: "can you or can't you?". So what needs to be done is to agree on a single, coherent urban planning concept, and to consider, for example, the future of Popieluszko Street, which cannot be given over to traffic alone. After all, there is also a future streetcar, public space, greenery and so on.
Maciej Bąk: I'd like to ask you now about a district of Gdansk that is forgotten and neglected today, but which you, as a city architect, dream of seeing undergo a metamorphosis.
Piotr Lorens: I have always had a fondness for Orunia Dolna. An insanely difficult place in terms of space, cut by transportation systems - here the railroad, there the former road number 1, plus the Radunia Canal. A place horribly experienced not only by the war, but also by post-war neglect. And at the same time, it's an interesting local community that has ambitions to take this Orunia to a higher level. This is how, for example, the Gdansk Foundation for Social Innovation works. And just as in the Lower Town revitalization is bringing more and more visible effects, I hope they will soon be visible in Lower Orunia. Especially since it is in the direct vicinity of the main "bedroom" area of the city, i.e. Gdańsk South.
Maciej Bąk: Would you agree to another skyscraper? Is the one in Olivia Business Center enough?
Piotr Lorens: I, in general, am not against the location of such buildings. I myself supported the creation of a skyscraper in the OBC, and I believe I was right at the time. On the other hand, questions arise: where and under what conditions could such high-rise buildings appear to us in Gdansk? Contrary to appearances, there are not too many of these locations. However, I believe that in general there is room for other such modern realizations. Well, maybe not so high.
Maciej Bąk: For example, in the vicinity of the stadium, where today you can mainly feel the sadness and emptiness?
Piotr Lorens: It is possible to do something there, of course, after all there is still a lot of empty land. In the context of the stadium, we even have huge spaces in reserve. We have the area of the Amber Expo fair and its facilities, we have the area on the side of Letnica itself. All this can be used. Perhaps the idea would be to create a large multifunctional district, which today exists only residually. The same is true today, by the way, in the vicinity of the aforementioned Olivia Business Center - this, too, is still sprouting, although, of course, it is a different level of advancement than what we see around the Gdansk stadium.
Maciej Bąk: What will be your first decision after taking office? Something green?
Piotr Lorens: Yes, this is my declaration, that at the beginning I will focus on what we can call a "green initiative for Gdansk". Issues related to green spaces, tree planting, pocket parks. There are also debatable issues of tree canopies along the streets to be solved. In general - we need a more coherent policy and clarity on what we want to do and how we want to achieve it in Gdansk.
Maciej Bąk: Thank you for the interview.
