Spatial and sensory transformation of degraded brownfield sites in the Odolany area of Warsaw.
The work deals with the subject of sensory interactions in urban space. The concept analyses the influence of perceptual experiences on the perception of the quality of space in the city. Particular attention was paid to the role of cognitive processes in creating spatial perceptions and behaviour of inhabitants. The work as a whole aims to emphasise the essence of shaping a sensual urban fabric that promotes social connections, stimulates local activity and builds the identity of the city.
Local
Poland
Warsaw, area Odolany, part of Wola district
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
Revitalisation concept of a post-industrial part of Warsaw deals with the subject of sensory impacts in urban space and related aspects of the influence of urban composition on the quality of human life in the city.
"First we shape cities, then they shape us".
These are the words of the danish urban planner Jan Gehl. The universal message of this sentence is that any spatial form created by an architect stimulates our senses and affects the behaviour and emotions. A city can generate a wide range of impulses such as sound, smell and image. The famous theoretician Juhani Pallasma, explains in his work 'The Eyes of the Skin' that humans experience architecture with all available senses and engage the psyche and personality in this process. Proxemics, one of the fields of psycholgy, also attempts to characterise the scope of urbanism's impact on humans brain. According to the this theory, perception is the process of learning about a city through the available receptors and codifying its image in consciousness. The information acquired about the surrounding space generates positive or negative emotions and determines behaviour. This holistic and multifaceted phenomenon is called sensory perception. Reflecting on this issue, the project attempts to outline a new development direction for the post-industrial area of Odolan. The concept area is a degraded area, separated from the spatial structure of the city. The area is in urgent need of regeneration, including improvement of the quality of public space, implementation of diverse building functions and the implementation of spatial order. The concept is intended to attract all the senses, provide an aesthetic experience, strengthen the user's relationship with the city and foster human bonds. The idea is to create a unique large-scale urban planning concept with a positive impact on the user.
Sensoric architecture
Urban planing
Social relationship
Revitalisation
Compact city
Today, more than half of the world's population lives in urban centres. This increase in urban density poses a challenge to new urban design, forcing architects to ensure the quality of the newly created living environment for present and future generations in accordance with the idea of sustainable development. The key assumptions of the proposed concept in line with the idea of sustainable development are primarily: respect for the existing natural green areas and adaptation to the role of public spaces, as well as returning opportunities for development to the degraded brownfield areas of Odolan. It was also decided to protect and revitalise historic post-industrial architecture. The wide diversification of the functions of the buildings and the various architectural character result in the inclusive character of the urban design. In addition, the use of materials that leave a low carbon footprint, such as CLT and hempcrete in new construction, will have a positive impact on the environment and make the concept unique. The second special feature that marks out the project is the extensive pedestrian mobility system and the reduction of car traffic to a minimum. This has been achieved through the implementation of woonerfs in the area, numerous bicycle lanes and appropriate connections to the newly designed public transport network. The aim of the interventions is to create a barrier-free urban centre that is accessible to all, resilient to climate change and promotes community activity. The project aims to improve air quality, reduce noise pollution and prevent heat stress.
The main features of the concept, which aim to increase the quality of the aesthetic and cultural experience, are an extensive and comprehensive design of publicly accessible natural green areas, the restoration of a historic post-industrial hall and the design of a number of leisure, cultural and educational facilities to support public participation. In addition, the concept involves transforming the area into a car-free area. Roads will be replaced by footpaths with tree rows and cycle paths. A linear park will form the core of the scheme. The green areas will increase biodiversity and create a friendly image for the district. Numerous outdoor gyms, skate parks, relaxation areas, bicycle shelters and gazebos allowing the local community to meet are located in the park spaces. The use of these elements will promote social activation and the creation of human bonds. The project will promote healthy behaviour, for example through good nutrition, urban agriculture and the promotion of sport and exercise. In order to sustain the post-industrial genus loci of the Odolan area, particular emphasis has been placed on the revitalisation of historic buildings. The multifunctional historic warehouse hall will be the centre of life for the residents. The rich functional programme of the newly designed buildings is intended to improve the quality of urban space, enhance sensory experiences and enable multi-faceted development of the local community. The idea is to create a multi-sensory centre with an interweaving network of spatial structures, communication systems, economic and social processes. This unique project has the potential to transform a forgotten post-industrial area of Odolan into an attractive and metropolitan centre for life, work, culture and recreation.
The main objectives of the regeneration project are to support social inclusion at a local and global level. This design approach determines attention to multiple social groups with different needs. The basis of the project is to remove spatial barriers, extend functional accessibility, foster social dialogue and cooperation.
As part of the spatial objectives, the concept is to reduce vehicular traffic routes in favour of pedestrian traffic. The pedestrian routes create an undisturbed internal communication structure that eliminates spatial barriers. The implementation of woonerfs enables increased accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists as well as service provision. This elaborate grid integrates the designed urban establishment with the surrounding urban fabric. Re-opening a neglected area to the residents of Warsaw.
The unique character of the site is reflected in the numerous elements counteracting social exclusion and supporting social activation and participation. The functions of the buildings, which respond to the diverse needs of the residents, are: education, culture, health, recreation, sport and retail. Numerous publicly accessible recreational facilities and meeting places have been implemented in the public spaces and natural green areas. Moreover, small mixed-use pavilions have been designed in the area, freely adapting to the needs of the district's residents. These features contribute to neighbourly, intergenerational and multicultural relations and create a wide range of development opportunities for the community regardless of their differences.
There is currently an active association of Odolon residents. The involvement of this group manifests itself through the organisation of social initiatives and grassroots activities aimed at improving the quality of the living space. The project to revitalise the post-industrial area of Odolon also involves spatial and functional measures to build a community with a strong local character. By including places for the local community in the form of gardens, meeting places and recreation areas in the design. The residents of the concept are given the opportunity to influence the use and form of the available areas. The local community has the chance to develop a high standard of participatory processes in this way. A manifestation of local activity can be the organisation of many initiatives such as cultural events, fairs, taking care of the greenery together, renting out small business premises for crafts purposes. A manifestation of an active local community can be residents' organisations, fostering communication within the local community and being a means of communication and exchange with external municipal authorities. The aim of such movements will be to exert control and care over the inhabited area. Developing appropriate means of communication has the potential to build an integrated community group and a coherent vision for Odolan's development.
Given the local level of stakeholders, the Odolan Residents' Association had a huge impact to concept. To their credit can be attributed the idea of minimising car traffic, and the creation of a linear park in the central part of the site. Their opinion was the point of origin for the project and their ideas had a huge influence on the final concept. Their involvement was very important because the decisions made were related to their living space and they would be potential future users of the project. On a goverment level, mention should be made of the city authorities, who provided access to the current planning documentation for the Odolan area. Many of the previous local plan proposals drawn up by Warsaw's urban planners from planning offices have been incorporated into the project.
The research for adequate urban solutions in terms of the multisensorial perception of space required an interdisciplinary approach. The development of the concept was influenced by the participation of scientific disciplines such as psychology, sociology but also ecology and civil engineering. In the concept, attention was directed towards possible ways of relating architecture to the human senses. The field of science that explains the sensory character of space is proxemics. It defines the perception of urban space as the process of learning about a city through the available sensory receptors and creating sensations related to the shape of that space. In their works, urban theorists Jan Gehl and Kevin Lynch describe possible ways of creating spaces that affect positivly the human senses. The knowledge contained in their work, in combination with contemporary urban trends such as the compact city, the 15-minute city and the power of 10+, forms the core of the idea of revitalisation. The analysis of the relationship between the human senses and urban planning directly influenced the implementation of the inclusive character of public spaces and the extension of the functional programme of buildings in order to multiply positive influences. Considerations of ecological sciences and the preservation of historical monuments, which influenced respect for the existing space, complete the final concept.
The innovation of the Odolany brownfield regeneration project is based on the implementation of contemporary environment friendly technology and spatial solutions. The main idea of the project was based on ecological constructions that leave a very low carbon footprint. A combination of CLT and Hemp Concrete materials were used to construct the buildings. This approach is a key differentiator for the concept compared to common construction solutions and is in line with the principles of sustainable development. The innovative character of the project is also built up by a combination of the latest urban trends. The combination of the ideas of the compact city, the 15-minute city and the be power of 10+, creates an innovative basis for solutions in such a large-scale regeneration project. The minimisation of car traffic to the necessary minimum is an unprecedented approach in urban development projects of this scale. Overall, the innovative approach has the potential to make the project stand out among European cities.
The aim of the project is to revitalise brownfield sites with a particular focus on the human senses, and on social needs. The project is intended to provide a basis for design solutions that have a positive impact on the inhabitants of the district. The urban planning solutions, which are good examples for other revitalisation projects of this kind, are: reduction of car traffic, respect for the existing green space, acoustic and thermal comfort, functional balance of the newly designed buildings and the implementation of elements of small architecture, which help to develop human relations. Valuable technological aspects worth replicating include the use of materials that leave a small carbon footprint. All the solutions used can easily be replicated and adapted to different spatial conditions. In addition, they have only a positive impact on both the environment and citizens.
One of the main challenges affecting the global population is widespread social inequality. It leads to exclusion, conflict and reduced quality of life for the human population. In the context of cities, this concerns meeting the demand for high-quality living space that is accessible on an equal basis. The city, as a centre of development, should be an example of good design practice, bridging the occurrence of inequalities. The project seeks to confront this contemporary problem. As a local solution, the implementation of a number of amenities such as community pavilions, open-air gazebos, outdoor gyms, communal gardens and small park features has been proposed. All these elements are intended to support social participation and activation, adapting to the diverse needs of the community. The Odolan revitalisation project aims to create a structure that fosters a network of functional and social connections in the city. The designed network of pedestrian routes is intended to influence the spatial integration of the urban setting and to ensure equal access to these facilities. Another measure to influence the problem of disparity is to balance the commercial, residential and social functions in the newly designed buildings in order to prevent the gentrification of the district.
