Aleja Noworybnicka

urban planning   Gliwice   2021

After the announcement of the competition for Aleja Noworybnicka, voices were raised regarding the fight for greenery and allotment gardens. It was hard for us to understand why the plots of land would have to be liquidated in order to build the alley. One function does not contradict the other, so we decided to develop a competition entry that would take into account the guidelines of all users, both current and project users. This work takes into account the complete preservation of the existing greenery, the preservation of allotment gardens, making the area available to residents and a bicycle path. Such a solution, in which each party will benefit, will give the opportunity to achieve agreement on the city-residents line, which has not been very effective recently. Before starting the design work, we contacted the residents of nearby estates and allotment gardeners with gardens in the area. We carried out an on-site visit, where we discussed the possibilities of a given area, what is important for residents and gardeners, what they are able to give up in order to make the place available to other users and what their expectations are. Allotment owners are ready to hand over 1.5 m of their plot of land for a bicycle path between the gardens.  Therefore, the project assumes a 3-meter long bicycle path and recreational areas on abandoned plots and wide foregrounds at the entrances to the gardens. Therefore, the design includes functions for people without a garden plot - barbecue arbors, activity zones, playgrounds, community gardens and gardens for the elderly who are not able to take care of the entire garden alone. A number of relaxation functions are also planned - forest quiet, i.e. a forest meadow with deckchairs placed between the trees to calm down from the city noise and pensieve in the form of glass boxes for meditation and yoga practice. At Zieleniec, next to Villa Neumann, we designed a playground to diversify the functioning of this place, where there are now only benches. In the square there would be wardrobes, a Chinese, a jenga, ping pong tables and a place to play boules.  We proposed a typical recreational and sports part in the meadow at ul. Żwirki i Wigury, which was originally not covered by the scope of the study according to the regulations. However, it is an ideal place to rest during the climb to Trynek. Therefore, pavilions made of containers were designed in the meadow, in which a cocktail bar and an open-air cinema could be organized. Thanks to this, it would be a new place for evening meetings on the city map, apart from the Market Square in Gliwice. Along the bicycle path, further sports functions have been planned here - an outdoor gym, climbing walls for children on a "boulder" formed on the ground, a water park and an exercise area for the disabled.  Additionally, there are coworking pavilions enabling the residents of Gliwice to work in the open, in situations where it is necessary to change their home office to a different environment.  

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A number of ecological solutions have also been designed - apart from the complete preservation of the tree stand and other greenery, which is necessary for many species of animals to function in this area. In the benches, there are hotels for insects, boxes for bees, and a large number of flower meadows. The surface of the bicycle path was also not simply concreted - we proposed a surface containing phosphors - i.e. synthetic substances that load with daylight and, thanks to their luminescent properties, emit energy in the form of light after dark.  Thanks to this, you will avoid the costs associated with the implementation of the lighting installation, but also its subsequent use. The project also includes pavilions where gardeners or residents will be able to sell or give away their extra crops for free in order to avoid wasting food. Also, generally available composters were designed, into which anyone could throw food leftovers, mowed grass, leaves, etc. Thanks to the grinding machines, the best quality fertilizer would be produced for the general public.  All glass elements have been covered with round stickers in order to avoid bird collisions with the window - in accordance with the guidelines of the Glass Traps Foundation. An additional recommendation would be to raise the fences 20 cm up to allow small animals to pass between the gardens.