Potential for cooperation. Award-winning project for a green market in Trzebiatow

Dobrawa Bies

08 of May '23

The design of the market in Trzebiatow received an ex aequo award

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In March this year we learned the results of a competition to develop a concept for the spatial development of the market square in Trzebiatow. First Prize went to the JAZ+ Architects studio. However, it is worth looking at the work that received an ex aequo honorable mention. The project drew the jury's attention with a concept introducing a lot of greenery and the idea of a „sponge city,” and the team included both practicing architects (and educators) from the Gierbienis + Poklewski studio and students of the Faculty of Architecture at the Cracow University of Technology.

The competition concepts were to take into account the function of the square and the spatial context of the surroundings. The concepts were to emphasize the potential, usability and attractiveness of the square. The authors were asked to take into account the nature of the project and to fit in architecturally and urbanistically with the neighboring surroundings and urban landscape. The concepts were to emphasize the functional and utilitarian layout of the market and take into account the economic and ecological conditions facing contemporary public investments. We published all the awarded works along with the results of the competition.

Project of the Trzebiatow market square, bird's eye view

honorable mention for intergenerational cooperation

Among the works awarded an ex aequo honorable mention, was a project created through the cooperation of practicing architects and students of the Cracow University of Technology. The team consisted of Marcin Gierbienis and Damian Poklewski-Kozzieł (owners of the Gierbienis + Poklewski studio), who are assistant professors in the Department of Architectural Design A6 and the Department of Urban Planning and Architecture of Urban Structures A9. The competition concept was created with the support of Professor Mateusz Gyurkovich, who, the authors add, knows Trzebiatow very well and has many years of experience in creating urban concepts and public spaces. The composition was completed by architect and landscape architecture student Marta Szar and current architecture students Anna Stachowicz, Martyna Hombesch and Natalia Radek.

As lecturers, we have regular contact with students, also as part of our professional work we have worked with many young people. In the case of Trzebiatow, however, our approach was more experimental, focused not only on the execution of the competition proposal itself, but also allowing the students to see how conceptual work can be approached, enriching—we hope—their experience. We did not explicitly impose the concept, but tried to ensure that the development proposal was actively co-created by everyone. At the same time, it is worth noting that we invited a recent graduate of architecture, currently in the process of studying for a degree in landscape architecture, as well as three talented girls still in front of the engineering diploma," Marcin Gierbienis stresses.

Participation in competitions is all about learning, and the competition experience is all the more interesting when we can work in a multidisciplinary team, with people of different backgrounds. From my perspective—an architect and a student of landscape architecture—I am very happy that greenery ceases to be a more or less necessary addition to architecture, and becomes the starting point in concepts for public spaces," says Marta Szar.

The project, in the opinion of the jury, deserved a distinction thanks to the consistent search for the geometry of the division of the Market space in the spirit of contemporary aesthetics, the creation of a functionally diverse, attractive ecological environment of the Market (the introduction of the idea of "sponge city") and comprehensive development with the selection of materials and small architecture solutions.

Trzebiatow market square, development project

The opportunity to undertake the competition task was an interesting and very developing challenge, allowing us to deepen our knowledge of arranging public spaces and improving our ability to work in a team. Participation also allowed us to familiarize ourselves with the course of implementation competitions, which was undoubtedly a new and fresh experience for us, impossible without the support of experienced architects. The opportunity was for us a chance for development and, in a way, an introduction to future professional work," adds Anna Stachowicz.

Developing the competition concept gave us the opportunity to work in a diverse team, from which we could learn a lot. It allowed us to learn about different perspectives, visions and ideas for solving current problems of the market space. Working with academics from our university—architects, gave us a chance to learn more about the profession and real teamwork. The topic of the competition itself was a chance for us to expand our knowledge, on the common problems of today's market spaces of many Polish cities and how to counteract them," Natalia Radek continues.

The project introduced permeable layers and lots of greenery

as much greenery as possible

When entering this competition, we knew that we would be primarily concerned with introducing as much greenery as possible. Of course, we assumed that this would in no way make us stand out from the other entrants to the task, but we are aware that this is the right approach to shaping public space nowadays, due to climate change, problems with urban overheating, but also simple psychophysical social needs to be surrounded by plants. At the same time, we are of the opinion that sometimes the best designs are not at all the most impressive, but the most appropriate from the point of view of local conditions. Delving into the history of the place and noting the wide-ranging issues related to communication service of the market and water management, we decided to address these two issues by design, enriching them with a social element," explains Marcin Gierbienis.

We notice that without uncluttering and greening the city, it is increasingly difficult for us to function in it, and the idea of the competition gives us the opportunity to propose less obvious solutions and experiment with the topic. This is very developing," adds Marta Szar.

Trzebiatow market square, cross section B-B

respect for history

Trzebiatow is a rare example of a medium-sized city with a very well-preserved orthogonal grid urban structure dating back to the Middle Ages. In this respect, it is a unique example not only on a national scale, but also on the scale of other cities in the Baltic region of Europe. Despite the visible post-war transformations, the scale of which—fortunately for the city—is small, Trzebiatow has retained its unique character and authenticity to this day. The composition of the urban layout and its architecture show traces of the continuity of the city's development from the Middle Ages to the present day, and the urban layout still has a clear locational, checkerboard layout with original cadastral divisions based on the measure of the Lübeck bar module.

Trzebiatow market square, organization schemes

The desire to restore the unique genius loci of the city by eliminating the negative effects of the transformations introduced in the post-war era, mainly in the area of transportation changes, can be considered paramount. At the same time, we want the market to be able to once again become an arena of everyday life for residents, responding to their needs and expectations. Cultural values stemming from history in our project had to be preserved, emphasized and even strengthened. The design concept is shaped on the basis of the historic checkerboard layout of the Lübeck bar measure once used in cadastral subdivision. We preserved the existing orthogonal and diagonal subdivision strips, and introduced new ones in the southern part. We adjusted the widths of the sidewalks to the orientation with respect to the sides of the world. Oriented to the south, they are wider and functionally supported by an adjacent green belt," explains Damian Poklewski-Koziello.

The concept is presented with functional rings

the idea of a „sponge city”

The starting point for design decisions was the introduction of the idea of a "spongecity," that is, a space based on the use of permeable layers.

Water, including the drop forming concentric rings on its surface, became a source of inspiration for us to create both functional-spatial and aesthetic solutions in the concept of land development. Cities are the spaces most transformed by man, where natural ecosystem processes have long been disrupted. As a result of thorough sealing of land, soil degradation, reduction of biodiversity and increased water scarcity are progressing, which consequently leads to an increased risk of urban flooding and local flooding and intensification of urban heat island effects. That's why it's so important to try to keep all rainwater at the point of precipitation, and to dissipate it in the surrounding area, feeding local ecosystems, says Marta Szar.

According to the authors, introducing the idea of a „sponge city” would improve the microclimate, which would improve the attractiveness and quality of the market. On the other hand, the greenery of the market is seen by the designers as part of a larger whole within the system of urban greenery, and the unique location of the old town in the bend of the Reda and Młynówka rivers creates an opportunity to create ecological corridors that favor local migrations of flora and fauna.

The concept of the „sponge city” has frequently appeared in scientific discourse in recent years. It is an approach that addresses the challenges of climate change by implementing principles of sustainable water management. The concept aims to reduce the negative effects of torrential rains, the local flooding they cause, and the heat islands that occur in cities. These can be reduced by moving away from the paradigm of paved surfaces to a reasonable balance between these surfaces and permeable surfaces. In our concept, the market is not an abstracted unity, but an integral part of the urban ecosystem," adds Damian Poklewski-Koziello.

The authors applied natural links to the ecological corridors of the Rega River and the Młynówka River

green ring concept

The concept of market development in terms of spatial organization was presented by the PK team by means of functional rings modeled on, mentioned above, the circles formed by a falling drop on the surface of a sheet of water.

Each ring was assigned a specific function. The outer ring forms a greenbelt along the edge, protecting the foundations of the buildings from dampness. Next is a sidewalk that runs along the storefronts of the townhouses, and another is a permeable area that delineates the parking zone for bicycles and cars, and along the off-street for deliveries. The zone is designed with low and high greenery and gravel surfaces. Another ring is a pedestrian/pedestrian thoroughfare that uses the existing asphalt surface. The innermost ring of greenery delineates the boundary of the market proper with areas for various uses, dedicated to urban activities such as a children's play zone, rest area, urban biodiversity (the authors proposed nesting boxes, among others).

Trzebiatow market square, cross-section A-A

the idea of a rainy market

The competition regulations emphasized the importance of pro-ecological and pro-social solutions. The created space was to be friendly to the viewer, both resident and tourist—noting the specificity of the city's functioning. At the same time, it was important to pay attention to solving specific problems faced by the city authorities.

The regulations of the competition already in their announcement indicated the design path, assuming innovation and a pro-ecological approach to shaping urban interiors. For our studio, these are elements inherent inall design processes. Here, too, we were looking for an individual direction that would fit both into the general pro-ecological trend, but also relate to local potential. As a result of numerous analyses of the city center that addressed the natural layer, we developed agreen-blue strategy for the revitalization of the market complex. We decided to expand the activities through natural connections with the ecological corridors of the Rega River and the Młynówka River. On the basis of maps of potential vegetation and analysis of urban conditions, we selected appropriate plant species that would be most resistant to the prevailing conditions and relate to local plant communities [...]. An innovative solution was the introduction of the concept of a rain garden in place of the existing green square," Marcin Gierbienis emphasizes.

A water retention system was introduced on the site

The idea of the rain market is based on two zones—passive and active. The passive is all paved surfaces located northwest of City Hall, which provide a platform for collecting water. The active zone is located at the site of the green square, where an underground retention basin is planned to store rainwater and feed above-ground ponds with mist fountains. Along the canal, a set of plantings resistant to periodic flooding was proposed, supporting the natural processes of water circulation. The zone can be a place for active environmental education, where visitors can experience water retention processes. In addition, a number of unclogging solutions are envisaged to promote micro-retention, which will slow down surface water runoff, reducing the risk of sewer overloading and flooding.

We have planned an active water retention zone in the southern part of the market. The implementation of retention systems in the city allows the development of vegetation cover and the promotion of biodiversity, without the need for additional supply of tap water. It is increasingly being said that we can't afford to lose rainwater, not only economically, but most importantly ecologically, and already small unclogging measures, such as openwork pavement with permeable joints, result in much more water being retained in the soil, Marta Szar adds.

project according to the principle of circular economy

Our project involves not only the adaptation of the existing paving of the market's slab, but also a surface that is less obvious to use—the asphalt of the circular traffic routes. In this way, we wanted to adapt the project to the scale and financial resources of the city, and at the same time realize one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable design. The reuse of the valorized resource should allow us to allocate more financial resources to the selection of noble and durable materials that guarantee many years of use without the need for costly maintenance work," explains Damian Poklewski-Koziello.

The concept was designed in accordance with the principles of circular economy, and the solutions are environmentally friendly and use energy-efficient LED light sources.

The market would become an arena for the life of residents

It was important to confront the project with the expectations of the city authorities and the opinion of residents. This is an important aspect of future professional work, and is usually not possible with student projects. I also consider the competition task itself as developing. The project of contemporary development of the market, as the central public space of the city, allowed us to attempt to respond to the needs of the local community with ecological solutions. As students, we very much appreciate the opportunity to collaborate on this project and are eager to take on similar challenges in the future," concludes Martyna Hombesch.

At the same time, our development proposal can be read as a universal response to the ongoing climate change and how the shaping of contemporary public space should be approached. Of particular importance is the urban environment, where the role of the market has changed as a result of civilization changes. It is necessary to redefine both the nature of this space and the way it is used, and noting the role of nature in enhancing the psychophysical comfort—its recipients. We are glad that city authorities are noticing that a good way to achieve these changes is to organize architectural competitions that allow to discuss solutions," Marcin Gierbienis concludes.