Pawel Bialas and Kamil Brylka, students at the Silesian University of Technology, won first place in an architectural and urban planning competition entitled "Patchwork Łódź." The task was to develop a concept for the design of public spaces in the area of the former Karol Scheibler textile mills, covering the southern part of the revitalization of the metropolitan zone in Lodz.
The competition, organized by Echo Investment, was under the honorary patronage of the Mayor of Lodz. The task of the competition was to propose a new quality of public spaces at the revitalized former Karol Scheibler factories in Lodz, where a multifunctional Fuzja investment is currently under construction. The area around the former buildings of the factory complex in the vicinity of Tymienieckiego Street should receive an environment that enriches the space with ecological values, new wooded areas, further public microspaces and innovative technological solutions. The jury awarded three of the 130 submissions and honored five projects. The commission appreciated the works for the legibility and minimalism of the solutions while emphasizing what is important - the historical, linear development elements, valuable tree stand and the industrial climate of the place.
The jury awarded the first prize for, among other things, a legible, green-saturated solution for public spaces
© Kamil Bryłka, Paweł Białas
According to Dr. Anna Aneta Tomczak - chairwoman of the jury, deputy director of the City Urban Planning Studio in Lodz:
The competition should be considered an important activity, building awareness among young people about the city's post-industrial values. The competition task involved the design of new places, which were assigned two important goals: proper integration of the new spaces into the city's public greenery system and the creation of new places to live in the immediate vicinity of the now revitalized post-industrial complex Fuzja. Personally, I appreciate the fact that most of the competition entries proposed solutions that fit into the city, creating new parks that do not compete with the historic brick architecture, but on the contrary, fit with the new function and spatial layout into the post-factory complex and the structure of the city.
First place for students of the Silesian University of Technology
Thefirst prizewas awarded to Kamil Bryłka and Paweł Białs from the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology for their clear, green-saturated solution of public spaces in the establishment of the former Karol Scheibler factory in Łódź. The jury appreciated the simplicity and elegance of the concept, as well as the great design maturity of the presented urban solutions. The proposed public pedestrian layout blended into the existing surroundings, while introducing vertical compositional axes connecting the entire post-factory complex.
Residents can enjoy large green areas for recreation and sports
as well as spaces displaying the cultural heritage of the place
© Kamil Bryłka, Paweł Białas
As the authors of the awarded project say:
"Participation in the architectural and urban planning competition "Patchwork Łódź" was a great challenge for us. During the design work we faced various aspects such as: the cultural heritage of the place, the role of the square in the space, communication between the surrounding districts and with the city center, ecology. We recognized that it is the existing buildings that determine the space of the designed squares. After an in-depth analysis of the urban fabric and the immediate surroundings, we determined the communication axes and dominants that formed the core of our approach to the competition task. The multifunctionality of the designed spaces was very important to us. We wanted both residents and tourists to meet and use it according to their needs. Recipients can enjoy large green areas for recreation and sports, as well as spaces displaying the cultural heritage of the place. The project was an opportunity for us to promote ecological solutions and ideas, so important during urban development. The retention reservoirs we proposed are a manifesto, meant to raise awareness of the problem of water scarcity. We wanted the reservoirs to have a utilitarian and cultural function in addition to their ecological value. We designed platforms in them, on which antique pieces of factory equipment are displayed. It is a great honor for us that the combination of the described aspects, was appreciated by the jury.
student projects awarded
Second place in the "Patchwork Łódź" competition © Shamil Marcin Jachim.
© Szamil Marcin Jachimczyk
Thesecond place went to Szamil Marcin Jachimczyk from the Warsaw University of Technology. The commission appreciated the concept presented, clear functional division and variety of ecological solutions, as well as aesthetic and functional qualities.
Third place in the "Patchwork Łódź" competition © Ernest Białous.
© Ernest Białous, Mikołaj Cichański
Third place went to the project by Ernest B ialous and Mikolaj Cichanski of the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. The award was given for a clear spatial layout, full preservation of the existing tree stand and introduction of new and diverse forms of greenery. You will read about each of the projects in separate articles.
Due to the exceptionally high level of the submitted works and the fulfillment of all formal requirements, the competition jury decided to award five additional honorable mentions. Honorable mentions were given to works by Małgorzata Ostrowska and Kalina Kieszniewska from the Technical University of Lodz, Anna Petrzyk and Agata Faroń from the Silesian Technical University, Katarzyna Lechowska andJulia Franecka from the West Pomeranian University of Technology, Aleksandra Stasica and Julia Pałęga from Wrocław University of Technology, Karolina Gabryańczyk and Magdalena Sikora from Wrocław University of Technology.
Paweł Białas, along with Julia Giżewska and Dominik Kowalski, is also the winner of the regional International VELUX Award 2020 competition . Their Theatre of Light project won recognition from an international jury and won in the "Natural Light Research" category .
