Participatory creation of the IX Secondary School Library in Warsaw. Citizen democracy in practice.
The accomplished project of the IX Secondary School Library exemplifies transformation of an unused space into the multifunctional, open, inviting, comfortable, however modest place of learning. In the design process, students of the School and the Academy of Fine Arts, as well as librarians and administration staff, entered into creative multidisciplinary dialogue. As a result, social capital, cultural values and sense of belonging were enforced. Moreover, the use of resources was optimized.
Local
Poland
The Capital City of Warsaw
Mainly urban
It refers to a physical transformation of the built environment (hard investment)
No
No
Yes
As a representative of an organisation
Name of the organisation(s): Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw Type of organisation: University or another research institution First name of representative: Dariusz Last name of representative: Śmiechowski Gender: Male Nationality: Poland Function: academic teacher - lecturer Address (country of permanent residence for individuals or address of the organisation)<br/>Street and number: ul. Krakowskie Przedmieście 5 Town: Warszawa Postal code: 00-068 Warszawa Country: Poland Direct Tel:+48 692 224 854 E-mail:dariusz.smiechowski@asp.waw.pl Website:https://asp.waw.pl/
URL:https://asp.waw.pl/ Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.instagram.com/aspwwarszawie/
URL:https://waw.asp.waw.pl/ Social media handle and associated hashtag(s): https://www.facebook.com/AkademiaSztukPieknychwWarszawie/
Yes
New European Bauhaus or European Commission websites
Transformation of unused spaces in the IX Secondary School in Warsaw into the library may serve as an exemplary case of making a comfortable, inviting and multifunctional place of learning with the use of simple methods of participatory design. The achieved architectural quality resulted from cooperation of school community and the Faculty of Interior Design of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw. Latent creative potential of stakeholders was activated, especially during workshops and consultations, by engagement of young people, as well as their teachers, tutors, librarians, administration staff. The important learning is that it was possible to achieve added value with modest funding and with care for ecological footprint. The library is characterized by low running costs. The economic advantage comes also from the fact that the design is fitted to well-researched users’ needs. Architecture is not limited here to fabrication of a ready-made product submitted to contracting authority, offered to a client but, above all, a discipline which stimulates and creates human inter-relations and puts the creative role of a subject and the processual work on an equal basis with materiality of final effect. The design and completion were made possible thanks to conscious approach and openness of the City of Warsaw civil servants dealing with educative institutions, and the will of the School administration to join in the partnership and try out the yet unknown methodology. It proved that spaces of educational and culture institutions, and especially their interiors, may be shaped within the processes that are more dynamic and democratic than it is usually practised. In other words - they may be designed in situation of lively contact between architects/designers and users, and deeper conscious dialogue with local and global environmental contexts. The library serves as a learning tool for the Participatory Design courses and the methods are developed, transferred, replicated.
Participatory design
Interdisciplinary learning
Place-making
Built Environment Education
Resource optimization
Sustainability is the ideal striven for and can be visible in all aspects (ecological and economic, social and cultural). The library, a place of learning achieved by co-creation (social aspect) represents conscious approach to resource management – minimal footprint and efficient use of public funds (achieving the best possible architectural value for the lowest possible cost of space appropriation and maintenance). An important objective has been to make a place that is “timeless”, not necessarily fashionable but durable - to be used without many changes for a long period ahead. The users’ opinions show that this library is bound to stand the test of time. Thanks to participation of local stakeholders the solutions answer only the well-researched real needs. During projects' implementation, most of existing elements (like walls, windows, parts of infrastructure) were left or utilized to a largest extent. New materials and technical solutions were chosen according to their durability and lowest envisaged ecological footprint. Energy conservation has been achieved through the use of already available systems (district heating), with possibility of adjustment. The school is equipped with the large PV installation, which allows for lower electric energy bills and ads to the ratio of renewable energy balance. Healthy microclimate has been cared for through simple means: - low-emission materials; - plants with air purifying qualities, forming a composition - the inviting, living green wall which is also adding to regulation of humidity and the general nature-friendly feeling; - ventilation with heat recovery and easy regulation of air-flow, but also a possibility to open the windows. Ventilation ducts are uncovered - in order to be able to explain their performance to visitors, as well as for easier maintenance. The interior layout and natural and artificial lighting are harmonized. It is possible to shade the windows regulate lighting divided into zones.
The theme of a school library, as an exemplary project, fits well to the idea of promoting architecture as representation of culture within sustainable development. Such promotion is even more practical, as libraries (well-grounded institutions) have to go through transformations into attractive, open places of learning. They are independent from shaky political influences, and on the other hand they have to be supported by municipalities, as common good of higher purpose. In this case, cultural benefits are achieved in the school environment, as a result of co-creation - students and professionals using the best of their creative, also artistic, capacities. The process and the effect were “filtered” through the eyes of teachers, administrative specialists, students, graduates, professional designers, sociologists, etc. “Everything works” - the post-occupancy valuation can be declared as positive. The result of the team-work is modest and original (the design was informed by various existing solutions, but many of these other examples, experiences of other authors, were avoided – not repeated). The achieved quality of this project has been widely recognized, published in the Architektura-murator magazine, and got the Prize od the President of the City of Warsaw for the Best Space of Learning. The exemplary school library has become not only the attractive alternative to typical classrooms and corridors, but also transgressed its walls. Students and graduates of the Academy of Fine Arts (where aesthetics qualities are nourished) have a possibility to get their feedback - see the results of work in which they and their colleagues took part, train their skills towards putting them into practice in further projects of similar character. The library is also used for study visits of Polish and foreign teachers and librarians, looking for inspirations on how to transform their own spaces. It is also visited by passers-by who are attracted to it through the windows.
The inclusive character of the library's interior derives quite obviously from the participatory process through which it has been achieved. It is used constantly for active learning (team-work, presentations, work in thematic blocks, etc.). All the users may sense their belonging, feel as “owners” of this space, be included (as they have been represented in its co-creation). In result – this inclusive space is cared for and felt as friendly and comfortable, also free change - adjust, flexible. The design process has been neither typically top-down, nor bottom-up. All the stakeholders - decision makers, teachers and administration staff (“end-users”) were invited to take part on equal basis. It is clear that engaging also those who are “by-standers”, “muted”, excluded from the discourse, “too young” or “too old”, etc. in result allows for solutions accessible to all (successful public space is best when it is appropriated towards the well-researched needs of “the weakest”). Further similar projects are under way in this school. The Culture Zone is developed close to the easily accessible entrance from the street, and this library is a good start there. Accessibility has been also achieved by using the design for all principles, as well as ensuring safety. It is also important that particular spaces have their clear identity and show (without graphic explanation) their purpose. Affordability within this project means that it has been accomplished with lowest possible cost but also that the usage is low-cost. The library is considered democratic, also thanks to the fact, that it has become one of the centres for the School’s Youth Council which gives a possibility of co-governance (this school is especially known for its openness in this reason). During the participatory design course, students learn about this and other initiatives; especially those places where co-governance (the highest on the “participation ladder”) of urban commons is in an advanced stage.
The co-created place of learning, accepted by the school community is treated as its “own”. Those who benefit also give their feedback. Many are encouraged to get involved both in caring for this place and in further developments. The benefits are multidimensional: the needs of the school community are met, a free forum for ideas is open (enabling self-agency), democratic dialogue and citizen democracy are exercised, new contacts are made, architectural education and professional skills are practised and promoted. For young designers a benefit is the possibility to enter their professional life earlier, get empowered, experience what is crucial but in fact kept aside the professional routine (participatory approach). It all has a strong impact on personal carriers, portfolios. The library itself (as the public institution and a place of learning) benefits by promoting its image and position in the surroundings. The librarians can feel their agency in shaping their own workspace with the help of professionals (the factor usually omitted, as the rank of this profession is treated as rather low - the librarians are usually excluded from design processes). Today, this library is a place promoting good design, not only by its physical shape but also by architectural interests, and also books that are easily accessible on its shelves. This was needed by the users - it is also their impact. The successful project expresses an important voice in the discourse on best methodologies of learning and citizen participation. It influences new libraries, school spaces, youth centres, but also senior citizen centres – all demanded by civil society. There is also a clear benefit for all those who participate in financing (in fact mostly citizens of this city district), thanks to the most rational use of public funding through modesty, better durability, lower cost of maintenance. Thanks to the reasonable budget, the School is able to realize more of such (participatory) projects.
The stakeholders were local but experiences leading to implementation were far reaching (based on previous participatory library transformations all over Poland, methods of built environment education for all, architectural policies). The project was initiated by the IX Secondary School’s administration. According to new education system in Poland, two schools (Gimnazjum and Liceum) under the same patron’s name (Klementyna Hoffmanowa) merged. At the same time, the new sports’ building complex was planned on school’s green courtyard. The municipality (being the main “Organiser” of the institution) did not dare to engage the school community in the sports’ scheme, but the advantage was that one dis-functional space used for physical education could be now freed and transformed into the new library. As our Participatory Design course was already known in the circles of municipal administration (Centre for Public Communication - willing to cooperate with academic world) as well as among Warsaw’s librarians, we were asked to take up the challenge. Fifteen school students who volunteered for the workshops and the same number of Academy students formed three teams to work independently on three functional concepts. It was easy for them to communicate in the circles of peers. The School’s directors, teachers and librarians did not take part in this first workshop (in order not to interfere). The next workshop - with librarians - was more complex (it also meant to overcome stereotypes). At first, academic teachers served as enablers of workshops, but later, together with one of our graduates, they became coordinators of the already realistic project based on best ideas from the workshop concepts. Municipal administration and the Academy’s rector and bursar signed formal documents (partnership agreements). The Academy had the role of Contractor. It was important that the School had a possibility to act as independent entity, being empowered as decision-maker in the process.
The skills reflected are architecture, interior design, engineering, environmental psychology, pedagogy - also architectural pedagogy, the librarian specialization, administration. An important base for interactions was the partnership of the IX Secondary school with our Faculty of Interior Design, following a similar one with the Praga-Południe District Library (having 25 locations) which gave the possibility for systematic modernization of libraries - one by one (some projects have been successfully realised, some are under way). According to such partnership agreements, students and staff of the Academy cooperate with institutions of education and culture. In the case of this library the main accent was on school students who used their spatial experiences and imagination during the first workshop (as main users of spaces “who know best”), and academy students who look at local needs and spaces with a fresh eye. It allowed for effective creative work and brainstorming. The teachers played the role of enablers, tutors. During the next workshop, the school administration and librarians met with academy students to confront/consult the ideas. As the concept developed, the librarians were the key partners. The most interested students also took part, as members of design team. During the realisation phase it was important for the this team to supervise the work. There was also a role for specialists working on installations and the green wall. Normally it all needed coordination and many decisions taken by professionals and administration. An important added value has been to widen the scope of cooperation in the following projects. Then the sociologist took part, with their role to research the ways spaces are used and what the needs are. Four persons from the design team (teachers, graduates) continue activities on further projects, also in the IX Secondary School. One of them has become assistant professor in the Participatory Design course.
The presented library is neither a “commercial theme” nor a typical academic project, although it was taken on by the Academy (this is also innovatory). It has been accomplished through common effort of professionals and non-professionals, within the framework of the Participatory Design course (it would be a waste of resources to take up “abstract projects”). A realistic project can be used in didactic processes by academic teachers, secondary school teachers, but also as practical experience, by librarians or civil servants, as the exemplary (benchmark) solution (serving as inspiration growing from lively practice). This is still rarely the case. Education means stepping outside comfort zone (outside the school, taking up concrete, sometimes uneasy themes, meeting the unknown). Here, nobody is forced or feared to participate. All the students took part in the workshops voluntarily (the same principle works with our Participatory Design course). Then the smaller group of young designers joined to elaborate the project, and so to prove what level of professional skills is represented by students and graduates, and …academic teachers. Students had a possibility of interdisciplinary learning but also could be financially rewarded for their extra effort (professional practical activity). The result of work, characterized by creative freedom and inspired by authentic community needs and identity of the place, proved to be attractive, open, comfortable and multifunctional. Working in teams showed that those who design do not always have to compete but are able to negotiate, to achieve best possible results. The transparent process lead to the most appropriated solutions (functional, aesthetic, technical), without overpricing and unnecessary bureaucracy, giving the users and persons who are in the institutions’ administrative positions the possibility to feel fully included and express their valid voice (what is rarely the case in public procurement practice in Poland).
The exemplary project is a kind of a milestone - grounded in previous experiences of this kind and constantly developed, replicated and transferred to district libraries, schools, youth culture centres, community clubs, urban public spaces. The learning is that the simple methods prove to be practical in achieving original concepts in a short time, and with limited resources. The effects (“products”) and processes within such projects are equally valid. Solid research into human (and non-human) needs and into spatial features (values of space) is basic. The research may be even deepened, thanks to interdisciplinary cooperation – especially between architects, designers, sociologists. After the presented exemplary library projects has been finished (and after a number of previous such experiences) the guidebook was elaborated and published under the title “We Change the Space Together” (attached). It recommends the methodology in ten simple steps, some of which propose close cooperation with sociologists (focused research, interviews, public consultations, etc). Three other guidebooks on library transformations and construction had been published before, but the one mentioned above concentrates on participatory methods in cooperation with sociologists, and shows examples of pilot projects for the City of Warsaw in its six institutions of education and culture. The elements that can be replicated are: the approach to sustainability (all its aspects) and especially: methods of dialogue, collaboration, cooperation (with institutions, administration, etc.), communication and mediatory skills. The ambition for the methodological approach is that the process is holistic, interdisciplinary, inter-generational, dynamic, auto-reflective, taking environmental psychology into account, using the design patterns (tapping from the Pattern Language of Christopher Alexander but also creating new patterns). The evaluated projects serve as learning tool, as the exemplary library.
The project, included in the Participatory Design course at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, transgresses arts and sciences. I is accomplished from the beginning (started as an initiative) to the physical satisfactory result. It can be studied, evaluated, serve as inspiration, become creatively replicated. The presented exemplary library is used as a learning tool. The process was led according to the following basic steps: 1. conscious initiative of transformation of the existing interior; 2. initiation of common activities of stakeholders; 3. exploration of the place; 4. research into needs of users; 5. participatory workshop with students; 6. elaboration of preliminary concept in a design team; 7. second participatory workshop with librarians and school directors (decision-makers); 8. study trip – to see and discuss similar libraries; 9. adjustments of the concept; 10. public presentation; 11. executive project and realisation. Some steps “naturally” followed the routine of design, but the widest possible participation was included also in them. The important presumption for the workshops was that they take place in the very space (working “in situ”) and participants were voluntaries. During the workshops, mixed teams (academy and school students) worked on their proposals on large boards (drawings or models in scale), using brainstorming and a simple game, with changeable elements (see: the internet article “Old Place, New Tricks. Placemaking indoors in the modern library”). The approach was interdisciplinary, transparent, free, equal, responsible, intergenerational. During the common creative work everybody was encouraged to express ideas and opinions, draw, etc. The work of teams was not competitive but complimentary. Although there was a “fluid” border between the phases of research and design, the authors of final executive project were those who drew conclusions from the conceptual phase and engaged in final phase in a professional way.
Participatory place-making addresses absence of citizens in processes of shaping their spaces, and in architectural discourse that seems to be elitary. The important mission of small community centres and multipurpose libraries (or both in one) is to prevent societal fragmentation, exclusion, passivity. The universal answer is to support community building, even of smallest possible scope (groups meeting to co-create, become hosts and guests). The projects allowing for co-creation equalize chances and allow for filling the gaps: the generation gap, the knowledge and skills’ gap. Overcoming personal or group obstacles (stereotypes, fears of incompetence) is encouraged. The projects arising from local needs, and in which local community gets involved, allow to fill the economic gaps – many projects would never be taken up seriously without waking local initiatives. Modest, local libraries add to realization of sustainable development goals (SDGs) by offering not only knowledge (books, etc.) but their interiors as living examples of spaces for active learning. The ignorance can only partly be overcome by compulsory education but is strongly supported by the use of spaces that are free, egalitarian, open for learning and exchange. The school library that is open to general public (not only fulfilling education purposes) is one of the best places to propagate sustainable development in all its aspects. Sustainability and regeneration are not possible without lively learning. And learning is not possible without the use of activating methods, co-creation. Participatory approach to design on a scale of small communities belongs strongly to the social aspect of sustainable development and is a crucial factor within Built Environment Education (BEE) directed to propagate holistic approach (preventing from fragmentation and abstracting of knowledge). Latent potential of creative forces and self-agency are waken up. Democracy is practised on a local scale and may be scaled up.
The library, officially opened in November 2019, has been fulfilling many various functions, apart from its “traditional” purpose. It is regularly used for the Participatory Design courses, showing the students how a modest and attractive public interior can be co-created, but also how multi-dimensional sustainable approach can be practised indoors and in public institutions. It is also used as seminar and training ground on a wide scale - for librarians and teachers, offering them comfortable conditions and direct insight. It has been used as example of the approach for many other Warsaw’s libraries, school spaces and youth centres. During lockdowns it served as central “studio” for on-line learning. The IX Secondary School is systematically changing its other spaces, along the example of the successful library, as alternatives to traditional classrooms. The plan of creating “in-between” and multipurpose spaces includes mainly the ground floor area (where the library is located): the dining hall, the archive (“Tradition Hall”) and just recently – the new multifunctional hall, to be used for theatre performances, a film club, relaxation but also classes (to be ready in 2024, for the School’s Anniversary). This area belongs to what is called “Culture Zone”, accessible easily from the street. The other themes have been: the open-air patio and the green roof, the relaxation spaces in the former teachers’ room. New concepts result from participatory workshops but also from the inputs from young sociologists from the University of Warsaw’ Institute of Applied Social Sciences (working on the research into users’ needs within the framework of their course of Participatory Design of Public Spaces). The workshops engaged, among others, the School’s Youth Council and those who wanted to choose architecture as their future profession and who also had possibility to participate in the workshops on sustainability in architecture.
Achieving architectural (and urban) standards and qualities aimed at fulfilling the relevant Sustainable Development Goals, and balancing all the four aspects of sustainable development, are possible on the condition that decision-makers and generally - all users of built environment are conscious of consequences of everyday decisions concerning their surroundings.
In the post-socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe, including Poland, such consciousness is still not common. Building such consciousness is not possible without education in which sustainability and regeneration are important themes. Caring for the values of space and practising dialogue with surroundings (natural, physical, social, cultural) are the main goals of Built Environment Education that is promoted and developed especially in educational activities for and with young people. Education, considered as an active learning, is not effective without citizen participation understood as “every-day democracy”. Active learning and participation are attained when the latent creative potential is implemented. The contemporary library, co-created and used as a multifunctional place of intergenerational, interdisciplinary learning, and as a citizenship laboratory, has been designed by using such latent potential and may serve as an adequate learning tool for sustainable development. It offers free and open meeting space for learners and educators. Making of such places, based on the four pillars of sustainable development, may lead to transformative changes in education for sustainability and green transition. As participatory approach in transformation of public institutions (and public infrastructure) is rare in Poland, any possibility to change this adds to the sense of belonging both to a local environment and to the European Union.
