Urban greenery is a very important building block of a city. It is what makes agglomerations friendlier, introduces biodiversity, protects against overheating of streets and buildings, cleans the air. However, the rapid and fast pace of investment often leads to the disappearance of the green structure. Almost every piece of land is sold for new developments. An attempt to preserve greenery, with the rapid pace of investment and densification of the urban fabric, is a project by Sabrina Tkaczuk of the Silesian University of Technology. Meet Parkowiec.
Sabrina Tkaczuk chose London as an example of a rapidly expanding city. In the British capital, the number of investments continues to grow. There are currently 541 buildings under construction (compared to 76 in 2019). Most are buildings over twenty stories. Such a rapid and rapid pace of investment leads to the disappearance of greenery, as much of the land is sold to developers and investors. Can the disappearance of greenery in the city be remedied, and how? This answer was sought by a student at the Silesian University of Technology as part of her master's thesis under the supervision of Dr. Damian Radwanski, creating Parkowiec.
Greenery and development in London in 1800 and 2020.
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
multi-layered park-like structure
Parkowiec is a facility in the form of a multi-layered park structure that is an attempt to restore green squares, parks, and plazas in areas where the last green oases have given way to concrete, steel and glass buildings. For the project, the architect chose a plot of land in central London's Aldgate neighborhood. The site is oriented north-south, with a slight tilt towards the west, giving very good exposure to the sun. On the northeast side, the author designed a utility square with an entrance to the underground - technical floor. In the western part she proposed a meeting square as an extension of the existing square.
She placed the main entrances to the parkway from the east and west sides.
Parkowiec is a multi-level park structure
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
forest in the city
The author decided to transpose the structure of the forest into the structure of the designed building. The layers of the forest systematize, arrange and give height to the different floors of the building. The designed spaces were differentiated in terms of structure, function, architecture and green design.
As a main idea based on the principle of contrast, I used the reversal of previous ways and schemes for combining architecture and greenery - so one does not design greenery in architecture, but architecture in greenery. The building is a frame, a support for the greenery - it is the greenery that plays an overriding role here, and is not an addition. The complement becomes architecture, which together with greenery creates a lost green urban landscape," says Sabrina Tkaczuk.
The layout, design and planning of the building results from the development of green zones
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
green creating architecture
The project is an outline representation of the entire structure of the building designed for greenery. Its layout, construction and planning results from the development of green zones. Placing vertical communication in two shafts on opposite sides of the building, allowed the author to create an innovative structure that frees the space from columns. This gave her the flexibility to shape the interior, the geometry of the green levels and the routing of suspended platforms that form pathways.
In the western part of the plot is a meeting square, which is an extension of the existing square
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
The construction of the Parking Lot not only builds its spatial structure, but additionally creates space for greenery. The reinforced concrete shafts that have been located at the two ends of the building act as the main supports. On their outer walls the author supported two structural beams. This arrangement creates the form of a spatial box, which provides adequate stiffening of the object and allows to dispense with columns. In addition, this box is reinforced with transverse beams that provide support for the ceilings.
The structure forms reinforced concrete boxes
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
Keeping in mind the diversity of the structure and the purpose of the greenery in the building at the facade on the interior side, the architect installed special rolls - two with shade nets of 25 and 50 percent translucency. The third roll contains a high-transparency energy screen, to support the appropriate microclimate. The main material of the building is greenery, which has been differentiated by purpose and floor height.
activity path
© Sabrina Tkaczuk
Recreation surrounded by greenery
After conducting an analysis of available activities in parks and city squares, the author, determined the functional-spatial program of the Parkway. She distinguished six main structures: a square, stairs, pavilions, a meadow, a path and water elements, to which she appropriately gave forms of both passive and active recreation. As a result, each of the designed spaces of the Parkkit has a different function, appropriate to the assigned activities. After designating and building the program and inscribing it in the appropriate structures of greenery and space, the architect created a map of activities available at the facility. This map will show users ways to spend their leisure time at Parkowiec.
