NADZIEJA is a project of a spatial structure for people in refugee crisis, which supports the process of their integration in a new environment. It has been enriched with an additional function connecting with the local community, facilitating functioning in an unknown place and giving the opportunity to take up a job. The design concept is based on research in the field of homelessness, and the pro-ecological aspect and speed of construction in construction were important issues in the project.
National
Poland
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Mainly urban
It refers to other types of transformations (soft investment)
No
No
As an individual
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Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
The NADZIEJA project concerns the housing problem of refugees, the number of which has recently increased significantly due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. In addition, the topic of accepting refugees in Poland has been raised since the EU was looking for places for refugees from Africa in 2019-2020. This became the reason for the development of a building project dedicated to people in the refugee crisis.
I have created a building that will not only provide refugees with a place to live, but will also be a place that will help them find their way in a new place and provide all the functions needed in this place.
The main conceptual goals of the designed space for people in refugee crisis are:
•architectural and urban aspect:
- designing flats for various needs,
- the use of construction technology that gives a quick possibility to implement the facility,
- modularity,
- adapted for people with disabilities,
•social aspect:
- ensuring a sense of security for residents,
- integration with the local inhabitants of the place,
- creation of workplaces and learning spaces for people living in the building,
•ecological aspect:
- use of natural raw materials in construction,
- reduction of non-renewable energy consumption,
- promoting bicycle transport,
- close to nature.
The program of the architectural concept consists of rotating apartments (30 apartments for about 120 people), a workshop part, a therapeutic part, a common room, a media library, a restaurant and service premises on the ground floor, which not only connect refugees with permanent residents, but also provide them with potential jobs, education and provides reimbursement of part of the costs of maintaining the facility through revenues generating services.
An important conceptual goal is a positive impact on the natural environment, that’s why I used various pro-ecological solutions suitable for this type of building, without increasing the cost of its construction.
Refugee crisis
Social housing
Community integration
Ecological project
Wooden construction
An important role in the project is played by a pro-ecological approach to environmental protection through the use of modern solutions in accordance with the assumptions of sustainable design. They are:
-For proper air circulation and ventilation of the building, it has two courtyards that prevent the building from overheating in the summer and the performance of natural ventilation.
- In order to better illuminate the windows from the gallery side and increase privacy in the residential part, in some places the external communication is moved away from the facade of the building.
- The main construction material of the building is CLT wood, which is an ecological material and reduces energy consumption during assembly and use of the building, reducing CO2 emissions and creating a friendly environment for health.
-The non-residential part of the building was created on a free plan, allowing for easy change of the building's function as needed over time. The residential part was made of modules, reducing the burden on the environment during the implementation of assembly works and high energy efficiency of the use of prefabricated parts.
-In order to reduce the consumption of non-renewable energy, photovoltaic panels facing south were installed on the roof
- For better retention, rain gardens have been used in the courtyards, which retain excess water and gradually introduce it to the ecosystem, lowering the air temperature and increasing biodiversity.
- The building provides recuperation to reduce energy consumption and reduce microbes and bacteria in the air. Thanks to this, household members are less exposed to pathogens and they are healthier.
- Promoting of bicycle transport through a bicycle rental system for residents.
In addition to purely architectural solutions, I introduced solutions relating to everyday life. The concept allows for contact and exchange with neighbors, integration during joint workshops and the use of community gardens.
The final form of the NADZIEJA project is closely related to the form of development of housing estates in Poland. The simple form of the building will fit into many spaces, and the angle of the two wings of the building can be adjusted to the shape of the plot.
However, by using wood as a construction material, the building will stand out aesthetically and create a warm, pleasant space that will attract the residents of the district and facilitate the integration of refugees with the local community.
The two courtyards in the project are a place full of greenery, increasing the quality of the experience of building users. It is a place of silence, rest and social interaction.
The form of the building creates different types of spaces and they are:
• Public space - where it is possible to integrate with a new environment and find oneself in it faster.
• Semi-public space - where there are additional functions such as a media library, restaurant and other services on the ground floor, depending on the location, which give the possibility of close and real contact with the local community, fostering interaction, trust, help and support.
• Semi-private space - where it is possible to find oneself in a new environment, while ensuring comfort and safety of life, giving the opportunity for development and therapy or spending time in close contact with nature through the gallery in the building.
• Private space - where its size has been adapted to the users. It is a place of peace, rest and gives a substitute for home, improving family interactions, allowing whole families to live in one place, giving each other support and support.
The whole form of the building is simple and not overwhelming. It allows for personal growth and feel pleasant. Natural materials and calm colors are the background to the life in the building, because it plays the most important role in it.
Important role of this project is inclusion, because:
• The apartments are made of a various number of modules, adjusting their size to the family or people who are to live in it.
• The project concept of the workshop gives support in finding a job, training for it and participation in language courses.
• The design concept of the therapeutic part provides therapeutic support through meetings with a psychologist or group therapy, and provides a safe place that provides all the necessary functions to live in a new environment.
• The building is fully adapted for people with disabilities (no sills, elevators, toilets with dimensions corresponding to the needs of the disabled people) and has apartments adapted for people in wheelchairs.
• The design of the media library takes into account the needs of various groups of people, that’s why there are zones for different types of recipients, so that everyone can feel best in it.
• The local community of the district actively participates in the functioning of the building through meetings.
• By adding additional functions to the building (services on the ground floor and a restaurant) and adding pro-ecological solutions (e.g. CLT wood, modular construction, photovoltaic panels), the cost of maintaining the building will be reduced compared to a typical social building.
• The building provides jobs (approximately 60) for the local community and refugees.
The goal of the presented architectural concept is to provide housing for refugees, which is why the project was based on research and surveys in which refugees from Ukraine took part. The conclusions drawn from this stage of work were used to design apartments for the needs of refugees. The project was developed from the users' perspective so that the interior design and functions of the apartments would meet their needs. The location of the NADZIEJA concept is based on refugees’ needs assessment. The project is located in a highly urbanized area with good access to public services and extensive transport: buses, bicycles and pedestrians, hence the concept includes bicycles storage facilities that can be used by residents in order to move freely around the city. Local residents of the district also had an impact on the building. The functions that have been added to the project (a media library, a restaurant, and ground-floor services) are functions that are missing for residents in the location. Depending on subsequent locations, services may be adjusted to them as a part of participation. Also, while the building is already operational, refugees and local residents will influence the concept by choosing the type of activities conducted by the media library (lectures, workshops, meetings) and their topics. Concept will depend on participation, for example by voting or questionnaire forms. Refugees will have an influence on the topics of the workshops (the level of advancement of language lessons, learning how to find a job and how to function in the new life) and the type of therapy. The building will have an impact on the quality of experience of the residents, their visitors as well as the whole city, through the building's expanded utility program and the addition of green spaces. The concept promotes sustainable development and the use of wood as a construction material. It is a place that stimulates life, which results in creating a new center of the district
The concept of the NADZIEJA project aims to promote local and regional partnership, these activities will be supported at the national level, strengthening the dimension of their activities, including on how to live better together and help design sustainable future ways of living.
We can highlight:
• at the local level: land for the construction of the facility, local architects, industry specialists, contractors, materials from local factories,
• at the regional level: contractors, manufacturers of building materials,
• at the national level: providing places to stay for refugees coming to the country, ordering the location of refugees at the national level, controlling the incoming specialists-refugees and their use in the local economy.
The application of the idea of the mutual influence of refugees and architecture influenced the multifaceted nature of the concept. The project covered the following areas of knowledge:
• psychology - discussing the issues of homelessness and refugees, their types, causes, phases and effects,
• architecture and urban planning - conducting design consultations, analysis of types of auxiliary architecture and its specificity,
• civil engineering - consultations regarding the structure of the building and selection of the appropriate technology,
• environmental engineering - conducting consultations on pro-ecological solutions in architecture.
In Poland, there are no buildings dedicated to people in the refugee crisis, and this problem was highlighted by the war in Ukraine. Currently, the largest number of refugees from Ukraine, 42%, live in households. This is not a target solution because there are reservations that these premises or rooms can only be made available for a few weeks or months. It should be emphasized that this is not often a place that was previously intended for rent. Often these are quickly adapted attics or walk-through rooms.
A lot of refugees stay in holiday centers, hostels or hotels. This results in blocking the tourist accommodation base, which for most of them is associated with the total or partial exclusion of these facilities from their tourist function. Poland lacks places where refugees could stay in a new environment and society. Therefore, the concept of the building addressed to refugees in Poland is innovative and raises the problem that occurs in it.
The program of the project is innovative because, in addition to the standard function of a building for refugees (i.e. flats, therapeutic parts, workshops and a common room), it includes additional services such as a media library, restaurant or services on the ground floor supporting the process of their integration in the new environment. Another innovation is the bicycle rental system for residents, which is located in the building.
The next innovation is the material used, i.e. CLT wood and modularity of residential modules. This allows for the emergence of investments and changing the number of types of residential modules according to the needs in a given location.
The location of the building is also not typical for this type of projects, because most of them focus on solving the housing problem of refugees in the largest agglomerations. This project was located in a medium city in order to show the need for this type of buildings in such places.
The concept of the NADZIEJA project can be implied in various places throughout the country. It does not have to be applied only to war refugees, but also can by applied to climate refugees, whose increase in the coming years is inevitable.
The basic form of the building is a 2-story wing with an integrating part (media library and restaurant) and two 4-story wings in which the ground floors form a mandatory part for this type of facility (therapeutic part, workshop part, common room/dining room). Above there is a part with rotating apartments. The angle of the individual wings can be adjusted to other locations. The number of residential modules can also be changed according to the location needs. The building can be, for example, higher and have smaller footprint area.
The concept can also be used to create social housing, e.g. for the poorest people. Additional functions in the building will prevent social exclusion.
The concept of the NADZIEJA project addresses many global challenges:
• raises the problem of refugees and their accommodation, providing social housing for them with a whole therapeutic and workshop complex, socially incorporating refugees,
• it has a CLT wood structure and other pro-ecological solutions that reduce the carbon footprint and have a positive impact on the environment,
• pays attention to education and learning, providing a workshop area for the residents of the building, where they can take language lessons. There is also a media library in the building, which gives local community opportunity to acquire new knowledge and improve skills.
