In January 2020, on the initiative of six Polish architectural firms, the manifesto of the Polish edition of the Architects Declare: Polish Architects for the Climate campaign was published. Its signatories announced a push for more environmentally responsible design and construction. Two years after this declaration, we check how the offices that joined the action are doing in implementing pro-environmental practices.
We sent an editorial survey to fifteen studios. In the coming weeks, we will share the opinions, experiences and conclusions of those offices that decided to answer our questions. They concerned not only the implementation of sustainable strategies in new projects, but also the functioning of the studios or refusal to carry out a project that contradicts their values. How are Polish architects responding to the climate crisis?
We are the first to publish the responses of the WXCA office - one of the first signatories of the appeal. Other initiators of the action included JEMS Architects, JSK Architects, Kurylowicz & Associates, Maćków Pracownia Projektowa and WWAA.
What design changes have you made in relation to the climate crisis? Have you modified projects already in development or are you trying to make changes in those you are starting to work on?
In every project we start working on, environmental aspects are our starting point and often determine further design. Our analysis is multidimensional. We study user behavior as well as estimate the carbon footprint and take care of water retention; we try to find environmentally friendly design and material solutions. We delve into the sociology of the city, especially in urban planning projects, where our solutions will influence what decisions residents will make regarding mobility, for example.
UW's European Center for Geological Education in Chęciny
Photo: WXCA
We present the ideas of reducing carbon footprint and waste to our clients on a par with the ideas of form or function. It is at the first construction stage, when key investment decisions are made, that we can reduce the most carbon footprint. We engage in a dialogue with clients and demonstrate to them the cost-effectiveness of a sustainable investment in the long term.
UW's European Center for Geological Education in Chęciny
Photo: WXCA
Thechanges in our design are more of an evolutionary nature - with each successive project we have more knowledge and solutions that respond to the climate crisis become standard.
If you were to point to one project - an illustration of good practice - what facility would it be and why?
Among the facilities built, our showcase is the European Center for Geological Education at the University of Warsaw in Chęciny, which was awarded the title of "Best Facility Designed for the Climate in 2015-2019" in the Life in Architecture competition. Justifying the choice of this project, let's give the floor to the chapter of the aforementioned competition, which decided that "this building is a symbol where nature and culture unite." The award was given for "the creation of an object that perfectly fits into the landscape of the Świętokrzyskie Mountains and exposes its unique resources, while limiting the negative footprint left on the environment. The incorporation of the building into a basin that is a remnant of the exploited Korzecko quarry, the use of locally quarried limestone rock in the construction and elevations, and covering the area (including the roofs) with xerothermic grasslands characteristic of the region harmoniously combines the work of man with the work of nature."
Kindergarten in Michalowice
Photo: WXCA
In addition to ECEG, it's worth mentioning one of the latest projects coming out from under WXCA's dash that epitomizes our way of designing. One of them is the kindergarten in Michalowice, for which we received third place and a special mention for climate-neutral solutions. According to our concept, this facility was to use only natural, ecological, breathable, safe for children materials with negative or zero carbon emissions (wood, clay, hemp concrete , which allows you to create a healthy interior microclimate and has excellent thermal insulation properties).
Did you ever refuse an order or abandon a project for ethical reasons?
We have refused to accept an order for ethical reasons, but we have not yet had a case where strictly environmental issues were a reason for not working with a developer.
Do you calculate the full life-cycle cost of a building and model the lifetime carbon footprint?
We estimate the carbon footprint at the design stage. We also try to minimize waste generation at every stage - from the creation to the operation of the building.
Five Corners Square
Photo: WXCA
Do you share your knowledge, research and experience related to climate responsible design with other offices?
Many of our architects are involved in social environmentalactivities - (e.g. OW SARP or Mazovian District Chamber of Architects) and initiate educational ventures on sustainable design. Such an example is the transfer to the architectural community of a workshop on this topic, which we originally organized together with Buro Happold for our needs. At such a meeting, all interested architects were able to learn about how to lower the carbon footprint of buildings and how to measure this both in terms of the materials used and the structures employed. We are absolutely convinced to work together to protect our climate, and industry organizations are an excellent platform to educate and spread planet-friendly solutions.
Five Corners Square
Photo: WXCA
In addition, we enjoy sharing our knowledge by speaking at industry themed events or preparing commentaries for trade journals. We also hope that our projects themselves and the pro-environmental solutions we propose there, which we share with the public through the media, also contribute to raising general awareness of how important this topic is.
What are the most important steps to be taken in the near future? How do you assess the effectiveness of the steps you have taken?
Changing the attitudes not only of investors and decision-makers, but also of users towards sustainable design and construction is a long-term process. Even understanding and acknowledging that this is indeed an important and pressing topic that needs to be addressed today, not tomorrow, can be difficult to translate into practice. Not everyone has the business acumen to decide, for example, not to build underground parking, or to turn off a section of the city from traffic. To accelerate this, there needs to be a serious commitment on the part of those in power, because any other educational action on a smaller scale is of course important, but has too little social impact. Especially in the context of the data we are facing. To limit the rise in average temperature to 1.5 degrees, we should, as humanity, cut greenhouse gas emissions almost in half over the next 10 years, and reduce them to zero by 2050. That's very little time for such a huge transformation, requiring truly urgent and radical action by governments. If this fails, we as humanity may no longer feel safe on our planet.
Pole Mokotowskie Park
photo by WXCA
In our experience, many investors are being persuaded to implement environmentally friendly solutions. This gives us even more motivation to conduct a partnership dialogue at the beginning of the investment process, because we see the results. A drop drills the rock.
