Polish architecture in the world

Architecture created in Poland once again won the recognition of the jury of the most prestigious architectural award in Europe, the Mies van der Rohe Foundation. Interestingly, for the second year in a row, Polish projects have made it to the top 40 finalists of this competition. They are characterised by their response to evolving values in architecture and society, with an emphasis on the integration of communities and concern for their daily lives. In the last edition, the 40 finalists included the Local Activity Centre in Rybnik, a city in southern Poland, designed by architect Marlena Wolnik.

In 2024, the shortlist for the prestigious award included the market design in Błonie near the capital Warsaw, created by Aleksandra Wasilkowska's studio. This demonstrates the growing role of Polish architects on the European stage, where designers successfully combine a modern approach with functional solutions that meet the real needs of local communities. Reconciling all the needs of the different social groups operating within a specific space is a challenge that Aleksandra Wasilkowska handles brilliantly, as her work has focused on designing difficult spaces in the heart of the urban fabric for many years. Her approach is not only recognisable, but also inspires other architects striving to create innovative solutions that contribute to improving the quality of life of local communities and adapting to contemporary challenges.

A place for everyone

Aleksandra Wasilkowska's design was not only shortlisted for the prestigious European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award, but has also received numerous national honours. Among the numerous awards, the Błonia Marketplace won four prizes, including the Grand Prix of the Polish Architecture XXL in the Polish Architecture XXL 2022 Plebiscite, and was also recognised in the categories of public space and landscape architecture. In addition, the project received the Grand Prix and the award for the best public space in the latest edition of the Architectural Award of the POLITYKA weekly. These achievements show that in today's architectural projects, we are increasingly seeking empathy and understanding of the needs of many groups working together within a single local community. The project emphasises values such as care for various social groups, often marginalised ones, care for social cohesion, elimination of divisions and isolation, and adaptation of public spaces to changing climatic conditions.

As the author emphasises, the most difficult challenge in designing spaces for urban trade was to reconcile the expectations of both buyers and sellers so that everyone could function in this space. However, Vasilkowska went one step further and thus not only created a functional trading space, but also an innovative public place with a playground and an urban square. This space is richly planted with vegetation, which goes far beyond the traditional understanding of a market space and encourages city dwellers to spend time together.

“One of the biggest challenges in realising this project was reconciling the needs of many different groups”, comments the designer. “We are used to marketplaces in Poland usually being concrete squares with stalls that only come to life when the market is on. Particularly in smaller towns, these spaces remain lifeless and useless outside market days. Hence the idea that when the market is closed, the same space could function as a multipurpose public space, a park, a children's playground, and perhaps in the future also as a meeting place for young people, skateboarders and rollerbladers, for whom I have specially designed a smooth surface without divisions. It is very important for me to think of buildings and spaces as hybrids that can accommodate several functions at the same time in the future and operate seven days a week.”

Cooperation

The success of the project is certainly also due to the openness and consistent action of the municipal authorities, who were aware of the need to radically change this place and were not afraid to take bold action. The realisation of this idea required overcoming initial scepticism from traders and some councillors. After all, the traditional idea of a market square is an empty space that is filled with ‘market life’ on certain days of the week. It was therefore also crucial to bring this space to life outside of market days. The entire project area covers around 6,000 m², of which 2,626 m² is designated as commercial space. The rest of the area was developed as green spaces, rainwater retention areas and car parks, which are necessary for agricultural trade, among other things.

The modernisation of the market area included the construction of pavilions and multifunctional white roofs. The white roofs, which are designed to reflect the sun's rays and provide shelter from the rain, are a unique feature of this space. After trading has finished, the wooden tops, which form a staircase, fulfil a variety of functions, serving as a meeting place for young people and senior citizens, as well as a place for spending time outdoors and spontaneous meetings. Commercial pavilions with large shop windows and white corrugated iron facades have been built around the canopy. The square also has toilets and an administration building, while the central part of the market is decorated with a bar, connected to a large community table and a children's playground.

For the atmosphere

In Aleksandra Wasilkowska's design, one of the key aspects was to restore the natural character of the market area and increase its biodiversity. In the surroundings of the canopies and pavilions, picturesque, natural oases of greenery have been created with pines, multi-stemmed hornbeams, beeches and alders. These trees and bushes will provide additional shade for the market stalls as they grow, creating a pleasant environment for customers and traders alike. Clematis and wisteria vines have also been planted along the fence, and there are various flower meadows, bushes and fruit trees. There is also no shortage of street furniture, such as a fountain, round information boards, bicycle racks, stone boulders, bird and insect houses, a sturdy table and comfortable seating.

“In view of climate change and the resulting increase in temperatures in cities, we must look to the future and take measures to increase the proportion of green spaces in urban areas. It is our duty to create the right conditions for us to live in healthier and more biodiverse cities”, Aleksandra comments. “The natural succession process, which plays a key role in this project, will probably lead to a situation where some plants will dominate over other species over time. It is possible that plants will appear on the surface that were not deliberately planted, but whose seeds were already in the soil. This natural process develops best when humans do not interfere too much with its course.”

In the face of climate change and rising temperatures in cities, the creation of green spaces is not only a priority but also a necessity. Such solutions not only contribute to improving the quality of life of residents by providing fresh food from local suppliers, but also encourage the protection of nature in places where nature can regain its place.

Aleksandra Wasilkowska - who is an architect, urban planner and set designer - runs her own studio. For more than 15 years her studio has been exploring the concept of ‘shadow architecture’, i.e. informal street trade and bazaars. It is also the author of the Błonie Market modernisation project.

All images: © Natek Cook Photography