This is no longer a TV series, but a soap opera. Another twist in the shuffle story of the modernization of Poznan's famous Arena arena is possible . The city's assumptions, calculations and repeated declarations have turned out to be unfounded . There is talk of building a new hall. But what about the old, unique facility?
If the announcements of city decision-makers were tobe believed, Poznań residents would have already been using the modernized Arena arena for a year. Planned at the beginning of the decade, the modernization and expansion was to be completed by 2024 at the latest; then there was talk of 2026. We have described the matter many times. So far, the renovation has not started at all. And - according to the latest information - it is possible that one of the most successful buildings of the modernism era in Poznań will continue to stand closed and empty. The reason? If only the money! Unfortunately, it's worse than that.
The arena was built in 1974, after two (!) years of construction, to a design by a team of architects and constructors led by Jerzy Turzeniecki. Since then, it has occupied the northern edge of Kasprowicz Park in the historic Lazarus district, two MPK stops from the Poznań Główny station. The distinctive body erected on a circular plan shows inspiration from Rome's 1958 Palazzetto dello Sport (designed by Pier Luigi Nervi and Annibale Vitelozzi). What catches the eye in this "inverted saucer" is the reinforced concrete buttresses visible on the outside. At first, the "golden" roof clad in aluminum tiles tinted to a golden hue also stood out (today the color is indistinct).
Arena arena after reconstruction, visualization, proj. CDF Architects
© CDF Architects
Arena Market
Since its opening, the Arena has become one of the city's symbols and its pride. Sports, cultural and entertainment events were often held there more or less until the end of the last century. After that, the condition of the arena deteriorated. The size of the Arena intended for a maximum of 4,000 spectators (usually only 3,000 were allowed in) and the technical solutions were also less and less in line with the modern requirements of event organizers. In 2018, the run-down building had to be closed when a section of the suspended ceiling fell down. Until then, the Arena had been managed by the Poznań Sports and Recreation Centers (POSiR). POSiR's care of the Arena was not rated the best. Jacek Jaskowiak, the mayor of Poznan, handed over the facility to the Poznan International Fair (then a wholly owned municipal company) trusting that MTP would handle the modernization.
At first, everything went relatively smoothly. In 2019, the first design for the modernization by CDF Architects was shown. This succeeded in giving a counter to the numerous, not very sensible opinions in the city that the neglected facility would be better off torn down. The work was to cost 100 million zlotys. The concept evolved, however, and in 2022 we saw a newer version of the Arena's adaptation and its interestingly conceived expansion also designed by CDF Architects. From the outside, the Arena was to retain its form while regaining its original appearance (including the golden tiles of the roof). Inside, almost everything was to change. First and foremost: the volume of the arena was to be enlarged to include the existing basement, allowing the Arena to accommodate between 6,000 and 9,500 spectators, depending on the configuration of the auditorium. The Arena in its new design was to be preceded by an amphitheatrically lowering plaza on the side of Wyspiańskiego Street.
The Arena after reconstruction, visualization, design by CDF Architects - view through the planned amphitheatrical plaza leading to the new entrances on level -1
© CDF Architects
minister freezes
There were also plans to add extensive underground parking for 330 cars, which raised the cost of construction ( we described the details of the entire planned transformation three years ago, among other things). Karol Fiedor, head of the CDF Architects studio responsible for the modernization project, comments:
We designed this modernization so that the Arena would be technologically fit for at least another 50 years. Nevertheless, one would probably have to review the project. Six years have passed and perhaps something needs to be updated. As for the construction of a new arena, with a larger capacity, it is only justifiable if it will host numerous events. If it is to stand empty for most of the year, it is pointless.
In 2023, when the legal building permit was ready, the cost of such an expanded investment skyrocketed, according to estimates, to a ceiling of about 300 million zlotys (this was explained primarily by the increase in prices after the pandemic). Later, unsuccessful tenders were held (construction companies demanded too high rates).
To salvage the situation, in August last year an application was submitted (with a temporary delay) for funding for the project from the Ministerial Program for Investments of Special Importance to Sport (PLN 100 million). The money was supposed to hit MTP's account by December, but it's still not there, although - fortunately - it's still waiting "frozen" by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism. The head of that ministry explained in January that there were doubts about MTP's ability to carry out the task. In short: the Fair lacks money for its own contribution. MTP has recently entered a peculiar period: last year it turned out that it had not been managed effectively, since January it has had a new president and is saving itself by selling off suburban land once intended for development.
Arena sports and entertainment hall after reconstruction, visualization, proj. CDF Architekci - expansion scheme
© CDF Architects
sudden plan b
So this week (March 23 this year) we heard for the first time about Plan B for the Arena. It was reported on the air of Radio Poznań by Deputy Mayor of Poznań Marcin Gołek. He said that if the Fair does not manage to sell the land (this will be decided within a month), the construction of a new hall will come into play - either next to the Arena, on the site of KS Energetyk, or on the unspecified outskirts of the city. What then of the old hall? The declaration has not been made, but one can presume that it will be renovated without expansion and will serve a more local, complementary function. The question arises, however: with what funds? A new hall, for several thousand spectators, on the other hand, could be built even near Poznań, in cooperation with the provincial and district governments. Among others, Minister of Sports and Tourism Jakub Rutnicki spoke about such a possibility in front of TVP cameras.
In the whole discussion, the issues of architecture and heritage, as well as the symbolic significance of the Arena for Poznań, hardly resounded at all. In a perfunctory manner only, without public consultation and discussion, we learned about the possible purpose of the Arena (training, warm-ups). Nor did we hear any, even preliminary, consideration of the form and mode of selection of the design of a hypothetical new arena, which is worrisome, because recently erected sports facilities in the city have tended to be correct at best (the swimming pool on Taborowa Street, which is just being completed) or are far from good architecture(the combat sports hall on Jarochowskiego Street). It even happened that the new sports hall at the elementary school on os. Pod Lipami (being erected by Poznań Municipal Investments) suffered a construction disaster (in 2021). We should also add that there is still no local zoning plan in effect for Kasprowicz Park, on which work began... 13 years ago. The situation is somehow saved by the general plan already in effect in Poznan
Arena entertainment and sports hall after reconstruction, visualization, design by CDF Architects - interior of the hall after enlargement
© CDF Architects
chaotic operations
Decision-making and organizational inertia in the matter of an important facility for the city should therefore already be assessed very critically. The whole situation shows that Poznan lacks a coherent strategy for its modernist heritage and pre-designated finances for it (the actions of the Office of the Municipal Conservator of Monuments, which fought to preserve the Arena's construction, should be appreciated for this). There is also a lack of thoughtful plans regarding the construction of sports and entertainment facilities. Last year, for example, there was loud controversy over the idea of replacing the successful (and well-placed in the green) skate park on the Warta River with a hall for beach sports. Let's add: an idea that was not consulted with the many users of this popular place. This year, in turn, Vice-Mayor Golek announced on his Facebook profile that he had "decided" (in what mode?) to build an athletics hall at the Golęcin sports center, the proper shape of which residents and architects have been fighting an uneven battle with the City for years.
Finally, it's worth asking about the sense of handing over the Arena to the Poznań International Fair, for which modernizing the hall, far from being MTP's core business, was apparently not a priority. Fiedor comments:
I cursorily estimate that the modernization and expansion today is a cost of 500 million zlotys. The core business of the Fair is something else, so they are not the most appropriate investor in this case. This should be a city investment written into Poznań's budget on a long-term basis, as has happened in other Polish cities.
However, there is one plus associated with handing over the Arena to the Fair: The Arena is still standing. Unlike the leisure complex from the 1970s on Lake Kierskie, which has just been razed to the ground, and which ended up in the hands of POSiR, which previously managed the Arena(we wrote about this in January).
