Pocket parks

Four more pocket parks will be established in Gdynia. The residents of Grabówek, Pustki Cisowskie, Leszczynki and Pogórze will gain a green oasis in their districts thanks to the projects submitted and selected in the Civic Budget 2019.

Pocket parks are small green spaces created in urban areas. They introduce vegetation into built-up areas and provide a place of relaxation for residents. They foster social ties, increase biodiversity, enable residents to spend time outdoors and at the same time combat the effects of climate change. Two pocket parks have already been created in Gdynia – a herbal oasis at the junction of Miętowa and Tymiankowa Streets in Dąbrowa, and a green space at Starodworcowa Street in Wielki Kack. Four more are currently under construction.

– Pocket parks are part of the city’s green strategy. The new pockets will not only meet the residents’ expectations but also surprise them, as the designs are truly unique and very diverse. These extraordinary neighbourhood spaces will appear in our city by the end of 2021. They are being implemented as part of Gdynia’s Civic Budget, but also co-financed by some district councils – comments Marek Łucyk, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for development.

The parks fit in with the current development of each district, so the sizes of the parks differ and the designs are also different. A park called „A pocket for a blanket” will be established in Pustki Cisowskie-Demptowo. It will be developed for visitors of all age groups, including people with disabilities. Its character should remind of a picnic spot, a family atmosphere in a forest setting.

A „Pocket on the Wave [Kieszonka na fali]” park will be constructed in Morska Street. Its design draws on the city’s coastal character. Flower meadows with melliferous plants will be created here, providing shelter for beneficial insects. The geometry of the park space will be fluid, as if undulating, which is to evoke associations with the seaside character of Gdynia and the waves rushing ashore. There will also be mini rain gardens.
The seaside landscape will also provide inspiration for the park located in Grabówek in Kapitańska Street. The covering of composite boards will resemble a pier and the sandy surfaces will remind of a beach, surrounded by vegetation consisting mainly of ornamental grasses.
A „Space Pocket [Kosmiczna kieszonka]” park will be built in Pogórze. This project is inspired by outer space. It will include squares symbolising stars made of luminescent concrete, that glow after dark. A telescope will be set up in the park to enable observation of the night sky.
Residents will be able to enjoy the beauty of these small parks later this year. In all the spaces, the residents will find one common element that unites them – the enigmatic symbol. It will take a different form in each location. It will therefore be worth to take a walk, visit the new parks and discover these mysterious symbols.

photo: UM Gdynia

Port of Gdynia with a record result

The Port of Gdynia closed 2020 with an excellent result. The dockers handled 24 million tonnes of cargo. This is a 2.9 percent improvement on the 2019 performance.

As the Port of Gdynia announced on its facebook profile, in 2020 it achieved the highest level of cargo handling in its history, beating last year’s record. In December 2020, 1,959.0 thousand tonnes were handled, an increase of 10.7% compared to the result for the same period in 2019. The highest growth rate can be seen in grain handling, with 68.6% for the 12 months. Container handling also increased – by 0.9% year-on-year.

– This is a very significant increase at a time of the global pandemic and economic downturn. This fact best demonstrates the excellent efficiency and effectiveness of terminals operating within the Port of Gdynia, as well as the consistent implementation of the development strategy of Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. – says Adam Meller, the President of the Management Board of Port of Gdynia Authority S.A.

The reason for such good results given by the Port of Gdynia is, among others, the improvement of infrastructure, including the modernisation of railway lines and construction of new sections of motorways and express roads, which increases the attractiveness of the Polish terminals.

The Port of Gdynia is carrying out many investments to further increase its efficiency. The value of its investments is estimated at PLN 4 billion. Among the work being carried out is the dredging of the approach track and internal basins, the reconstruction of quays, the construction of a Public Ferry Terminal and the reconstruction of the railway infrastructure.

photo: Port Gdynia

ArchiBox – the tale of modernism

A new venue showcasing the icons of the city’s modernist heritage was established in Gdynia. And more importantly, it is accessible directly from the street. The examples of modernism presented in the ArchiBox can be viewed through the window. An excellent idea for the time of the pandemic.

Gdynia’s efforts to look after the modernist architecture of the city have been appreciated on numerous occasions. The comprehensive programme for the protection and promotion of modernism was also appreciated by the National Heritage Institute, which singled out the city in the „Local Government for Heritage” competition. The initiative rewards municipalities for developing and implementing comprehensive national heritage buildings care programmes. Gdynia attracted the attention of the jury with its pioneering activities in recognising and promoting the significance of its modernist buildings.

A new venue where modernist architecture in the city is brought closer to the public is the ArchiBox, located in a small, glazed pavilion between the observation tower and the InfoBox. The exposition has been arranged in such a way that it can be viewed directly from the street, through the large windows. This particular way of spatial arrangement was the idea of Marek Stępa, head of the Heritage Protection Department at the Gdynia City Hall.

„ArchiBox is a venue which forms part of the familiar InfoBox, well known to Gdynia’s residents, and where we intend to show Gdynia’s modernism in a variety of ways. We wish to showcase the top achievements, the most interesting buildings and their designers. We also would like to demonstrate their links to the most iconic achievements of European and world modernism. This venue is intended to serve not only the residents of Gdynia but also all of the Gdynia visitors. We will be following the inspiring concepts and ideas. We will focus on showcasing both the most famous and the lesser known buildings which are worth seeing. We also want to strengthen Gdynia’s residents awareness of the significance of this kind of architecture. We know that the number of people who come to Gdynia to learn about modernism is growing. Gdynia is ideally suited for the study and appreciation of modernism in architecture,” says Marek Stępa, head of the Heritage Protection Department at the Gdynia City Hall.

The exhibition is decorated with a characteristic neon sign representing two ocean liners on the sea, lit by the rays of the setting sun. The project refers to the minimalist style of pre-war graphics. It was designed by the Warsaw artist Maurycy Gomulicki and commissioned by the curatorial team of the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews for the exhibition „Gdynia – Tel Aviv”. The project refers to the shipping history of the city, from where dozens of ships left Poland to arrive at many world ports. In the December dusk, a colourful neon sign illuminated the space between the InfoBox and the viewing tower.

Archibox was established in cooperation with the Museum of the City of Gdynia, the AOS Studio of Architecture and Wytwórnia Studniak. Currently, a part of the exposition prepared for the exhibition „Gdynia – Tel Aviv” has been put on display.

photo: Karolina Szypelt /UM Gdynia

Sunrise at the Marine Station

On 8 December, the modernist building of the Marine Station will celebrate its 87th birthday. Put into use in 1933, it served city residents and tourists for many a decade. The station was a witness to joyful moments and numerous tragic events. Every year, on the building’s opening anniversary, great birthday celebrations used to be organised. This year, due to sanitary reasons, we will celebrate it differently.

The architecture of the station was prepared in 1932 by the Dyckerhoff & Widmann SA company, and the building was officially put into use as soon as on 8 December 1933. The facade of the station has clear features of modernist architecture, with references to the so-called Polish Art Deco style. During that time, it was one of the most modern facilities of this type in Europe. The use of fine finishing materials, i.e. ceramic tiles, bent balustrades, glazings, proved to be timeless and has been enchanting the viewers with their universalism to this day.

The building used to consist of two parts, namely, of a passenger hall and a transit warehouse. The main structure of the station housed an information point, ticket offices, a post office, a luggage room, doctors’ offices, restaurants and waiting rooms. On the warehouse’s lower floor, there were further areas intended for luggage. On the upper floor covered with arched roof, there was a luggage hall and a passenger check-in hall.
Until the outbreak of the war, hundreds of thousands of people passed through the building. In the interwar period it was also where New Year’s Eve balls and sports events used to be organised. The role of the station did not change following the war; however, the sea passenger traffic was not as high as it once was. The building’s heyday ended in 1988, when “Stefan Batory”, the last Polish ocean liner, set off on its ultimate voyage. The renovation of the station commenced in 2013, and it was decided that the Emigration Museum would be established under its very roof so as to commemorate the extraordinary history of the building that witnessed numerous tragic events and accompanied many people in their last journey whilst they were leaving the country. The museum’s exhibition was officially opened in May of 2015. This very facility is the first one in Poland to present the collections, narrations and stories devoted to the fate of Polish emigrants and the achievements of the Polish diaspora scattered all over the world.

This year, for the celebrations of the Marine Station’s birthday, the Emigration Museum has recorded a radio drama the events of which are set in the historic building in… 2040. Anna Wakulik, the author of the text, presents the interwoven fates of the protagonists of the audio play who are connected by means of dynamic relationships. The radio drama entitled “Jeszcze jeden wschód słońca” [“One more sunrise”] will be available starting from 8 December on Emigration Museum’s YouTube channel.

Photo: Chris Niedenthal

Young architects design in the Sea City

The Museum of Sailing and the Film Harbour at the Fishermen’s Pier? These are some of the interesting proposals of architecture students for the arrangement of this mysterious place. The area of the Sea City kindles the imagination of architects, hence we are truly looking forward to further innovative proposals.

A project of the Museum of Sailing located in a 87-metre-tall building in the shape of a sail by the Fishermen’s Pier is a proposal submitted by Agata Morawczyńska, a graduate of architecture at the Poznań University of Technology. The project has been created as part of her master’s thesis. As she was born in Gdynia, it is precisely in her hometown that she decided to situate the very subject completing the studies pursued. The structure of the museum refers to its nature and the place envisaged for its construction, as it resembles a sail of a ship. Its design provides for a space for a lift making it possible to change exhibits, hand them over for renovation or add subsequent ones that could be lifted to an appropriate floor through an interior atrium.

The designer has also planned the manner of how the museum is to be visited. The exhibition would be explored starting from the top floor, with subsequent visits being paid to the lower ones. The underground part is to house lecture rooms and a workshop with a cloakroom. On the fourth floor, due to the excellent views made possible by an additional overhang supported by steel cables, a restaurant and a play area for children have been located. On the 15th floor, the architect has placed a viewpoint.
The artist has moreover planned a public park with an exhibition space for students and artists. It also encompasses a reservoir, where visitors may admire the fantastic boat “S/Y Korsarz”, and a small marina reserved for yachts.
The concept of the Museum of Sailing is consistent with the local spatial development plan for a part of the Śródmieście district of Gdynia, in the vicinity of the Fishermen’s Pier. It provides for a place for historic yachts (“Dal”, “Kumka IV”, “Opty” and “Miranda”) along with the rigging and sails.

A design prepared by Martyna Nagórska, a student of architecture at the Gdańsk University of Technology, constitutes a yet another interesting proposal for the renovation of the building located by the Fishermen’s Pier. She has proposed to adopt the former cold rooms at the Fishermen’s Pier to serve as the Film Harbour. Her work has won the competition announced by the Mayor of the City of Gdynia for the best diploma thesis on Gdynia among the works prepared at the Faculty of Architecture at the Gdańsk University of Technology. The competition is open to students whose works tell a story about Gdynia, meet the urban needs, their features refer to reality and represent a high aesthetic level. In this year’s edition of the competition, it was Martyna Nagórska who has taken home the first prize in the category of diplomas defended in 2019. Prof. dr hab. Eng. arch. Antoni Taraszkiewicz was the thesis supervisor, and dr Eng. arch. Elżbieta Marczak was the thesis reviewer.

photo: press materials

Gdynia Modernism on the net

Photos and descriptions of Gdynia’s modernist buildings and details characteristic of that period are already available on the Internet. The Gdynia City Museum has launched a website „Glass, metal, detail. Gdynia Modernism on the net”.

The website „Glass, metal, detail. Gdynia Modernism on the net”(http://szklometaldetal.pl/) is a virtual journey to the interiors of houses, where we can take a look at original architectural details and applied technological solutions. The website presents several dozen of Gdynia’s buildings of pre-war and post-war architecture. Thanks to archival and contemporary photographs, we can take a closer look at how these buildings have changed. The characteristic elements preserved until today are presented – floors, stairs, balustrades, gates and doors. The photographic material is complemented by descriptions of the history of the buildings, including the stories of their creators, as well as producers and manufacturers of that time.
This extensive material is complemented by educational films devoted to architectural details characteristic of modernist architecture, as well as to methods of their restoration.

The website is based on materials developed for the catalogue of the award-winning exhibition „Glass, metal, detail. The Architecture of Gdynia in Details” prepared in 2016. By transferring this exhibition to the virtual world, the artists provided access to a rich collection of photographs and information about modernism to a wider audience. Today, while sitting at home, we can see the beautifully preserved staircase of a Gdynia tenement house thanks to 360-degree films. Watching a film about modernist floors, we will see the beautiful tiles, which are becoming fashionable again today and are used by contemporary interior decorators.
The creators of the website also provide access to the materials for people with special needs. The films have a sign language translation and the website is suitable for the visually impaired. They also reassure us that the website will be expanded with more material, which we are very much looking forward to…

Gdynia’s most fashionable address

The Kashubian Square changes its nature. Today, just like before the war, it starts to play the role of the city centre again. It’s around it that new developers invest in attractive buildings. Is the Kashubian Square becoming the most fashionable address in Gdynia?

A few years ago, the Kashubian Square, along with the City Centre’s urban complex, was entered into the register of historic monuments as a testimony to the first development phase of Gdynia. New buildings proposed by investors refer to the historical architecture of the city’s origins. Before the war, the Kashubian Square was the centre of pre-war Gdynia. After the war, it was primarily the communication loop, where trolleybuses and buses met. A few years ago, the city authorities began to restore its function of the city square. Today we are witnessing the emergence of new buildings and change in the nature of the square.

A residential-service apartment building is being erected at Św. Piotra Street no. 6. The investor is BP Gorski. 227 apartments with a total usable area of 13,500 square meters will be located on 18 floors. You will see a beautiful view of the Gdansk Bay from the apartments located on the top floors. Glazed facades and comfortable terraces will allow you to enjoy the advantages of a great location. The apartment building is a 5-minute walk from the Kosciuszko Square, the city beach and the Gdynia marina. The residents will be able to enjoy the charms of life in the city centre, proximity of cafes and restaurants, and relax at the seaside at the same time. Morning jogging along the seashore, and then an aromatic coffee in a nearby cafe? This is how the residents of the apartments located at Św. Piotra Street no. 6 can start their day.

The investor ensures that the common areas will be finished to the highest standard. The residents will have at their disposal a public reception, a gym room with a seating area, as well as lots of greenery in the entrance area. Two levels of the building are intended for garages. The shape of the lower part of the complex looks just as interesting. A green enclave is to be built above the entrance hall, which will be used only by the residents. Architecture becomes a part of Gdynia’s modernist traditions. An interesting detail of the highest part of the building are the recesses in the facade that make the body more plastic. This effect will be even more emphasized at night, because these elements will be highlighted after dark. The building was designed by Studio Tandem. The investment should be completed in the first quarter of 2023.

“Culinary Świetojanska“ [Kulinarna Świętojańska] appreciated

The Gdynia event “Culinary Świętojańska” [Kulinarna Świętojańska] has been singled out by the Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship during the celebrations of the World Tourism Day. It was praised for the very interesting tourist offer, which attracts numerous food lovers who enjoy gourmet cuisine.

World Tourism Day, celebrated on 27 September, is an opportunity to appreciate and award those who devote themselves to creating events that provide us with interesting ways to enjoy our leisure time. Amongst them are tourism organisers, owners and staff of hotels and restaurants, tourist guides, tour guides and many other professions. Every year during these celebrations the Marshal of the Pomorskie Voivodeship presents the awards for the best events of the previous year, and singles out the prominent personalities from the tourism industry. This year the Pomorskie celebrations took place online due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

The Gdynia „Culinary Świętojańska” festival received a distinction in the category “Tourist Offer”. This event takes place in one of the most popular streets of Gdynia and contributes to the promotion of the city project “Culinary Route of Central Gdynia”[Szlak Kulinarny Centrum Gdyni]. The festival attracts numerous fans of good food and those who follow the latest culinary trends. Restaurateurs serve specialties inspired by cuisine from different parts of the world and are eager to put on live cooking demonstrations at their stands. The festival provides an opportunity to enjoy leisure time in the open urban space, together with family and friends, in close proximity of delicious cuisine. In 2019, the event drew 5 thousand participants.

– We are very pleased with the award for the “Culinary Świętojańska”, especially at the time when Gdynia sees the start of the new edition of the Culinary Weekend. The two events are closely linked – both promoting excellent Gdynia restaurateurs, who are members of the Culinary Route of Central Gdynia. Tourism is extremely important to our city. We are carefully preparing our offer, which is consistent with the city’s strategy and the strategy of tourism development. We are working in close collaboration with the Gdynia Tourism Council. The events and attractions we have prepared, are designed to serve both the tourists and the Gdynia residents. The award for the “Culinary Świętojańska” only confirms it – states Katarzyna Gruszecka-Spychała, Deputy Mayor of Gdynia for Economy.

Culinary tourism is gaining a growing following. Exploring and visiting cities and countries through learning local flavors is becoming increasingly popular. Gdynia has a wide variety of restaurants offering a rich variety of flavors. Gdynia restaurants are already highly rated and have numerous supporters who come to the city specifically to have lunch or dinner in their favorite place.

Weekend of Architecture. Anticipation

How to effectively transform the urban space? How to anticipate future social needs and expectations, which should be met by architecture? Those were the issues discussed by the participants of the 10th edition of the Weekend of Architecture which was focused around the broader theme of Anticipation.

The Weekend of Architecture is an event which brings together professionals who are involved in shaping the urban development, i.a. architects and urban planners. In the course of the weekend meetings they have the opportunity to showcase their main projects as well as to discuss important issues related to modern design and planning of the urban development. The motto of this year’s Weekend of Architecture was the word “anticipation”, indicating the need for architecture to adapt to social expectations.

– With this year’s motto, we wished to draw attention to the necessity of anticipating and planning, also in the context of architecture – explains Jacek Debis, the Director of the Gdynia Development Agency [Agencja Rozwoju Gdyni], which is the event organiser. – The most recent world events, such as the pandemic or the fires in Beirut, have clearly shown us the importance of anticipating all possible scenarios. Certainly, we cannot anticipate all the risks and threats, however, we can create architecture and build cities in a manner that will assist their residents and meet their changing needs.

The participants of the panel discussions talked about the role and place of architecture in the contemporary world. How designers can prevent and forestall future threats, whether they are able to predict them and prepare the cities for any challenges still to come in the 21st century. Panellists analysed the changes which resulted from the threat of the pandemic in urban centres. The speakers agreed that the new situation has re-modelled the focus and the behaviours of urban dwellers. What has become noticeable is a tendency of turning away from the shopping malls and favouring green urban areas, which should be present in all city districts, so that they become more accessible. Iwona Markešić, the Director of the Gdynia City Planning Office, spoke about the new approach of the local government to the urban planning of the city.

The way that architecture can influence the residents’ behaviour was discussed by the architects from the LAX Studio in Wrocław, who illustrated their presentation with examples of their interactive designs. Dr Kazimierz Butelski from the Cracow University of Technology discussed the complex situation in Beirut and the prospect of reconstructing the part of the city that was devastated in the explosion. Among the many issues raised during the Weekend there were also pro-ecology initiatives, such as the reduction in the CO2 emissions, and the topic of energy savings. Dr Michał Stangel from the Silesian University of Technology presented the examples of architecture integrated with green spaces which have been put forward by contemporary designers in Poland and abroad. Gdynia is also following the trend of the green city with its “Klimatyczne Centrum” [Atmospheric Centre] project, the main outlines of which were presented by the Gdynia Deputy Mayor Marek Łucyk. The Weekend of Architecture was organised in partnership with the National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning. The special guests invited to the festival were the Director of the Institute – dr Bolesław Stelmach, the Plenipotentiary for the Director of the Institute – Ewa Rombalska and Patrycja Jastrzębska.

Both ladies dealt in their presentations with architectural and urban planning education, which is one of the main tasks of the institute. Whereas Director Bolesław Stelmach spoke about the extension of the building of the Polish Sejm [Parliament] in the period 2000-2018.
The Agenda of the Weekend of Architecture is quite diversified, because apart from the discussions about creativity and design the organisers are offering theme-oriented ‘archi’ walkabouts. The walks provide an opportunity to explore Gdynia’s modernist architecture, the distinct features of which are being revealed by experts and architects. This year, the Gdynia architects duo from the Arch-Deco studio presented and spoke about their projects including the building of the Faculty of Oceanography and Geography at the University of Gdańsk, the Park Centralny [Central Park] project, “The Square” office block, as well as a one-family home in Prusa Street, also known as “Dom nad Bulwarem” [House on the Boulevard]. This year also marked the appearance of new routes on the Gdynia Modernism Trail – “The unknown functionalism of Kamienna Góra” [Nieznany funkcjonalizm Kamiennej Góry] and “Pre-war Lipowa” [Przedwojenna Lipowa]. The Weekend of Architecture was also accompanied by other art events, such as an exhibition of woodcuts by the Berlin Pilecki Institute, a video installation entitled “Vis-a-Vis”, as well as a preview of “Letters from Home” – a feature film by a Polish-Israeli film maker Hadas Tapouchi.

A third tallest investment in Gdynia

The construction of the seventeen-storey Portova building is nearing its completion. The investment provides a range of attractive solutions for the residents, but the developer also took care of the landcape design of the development’s surroundings. Is this going to become a new favourite spot for the Gdynia residents?

The project design was created by Studio Kwadrat. The investor is the developer Invest Komfort, who is also responsible for the construction of the landmark Sea Towers building. Portova combines tradition with modernity, with references to traditional Gdynia architecture.

– Its architectural style clearly refers to Gdynia’s modernist tradition by using clear, simple and geometric facade lines, translated into the language of modern architecture – writes Jacek Droszcz, one of the Studio Kwadrat architects. – A new element, clearly manifested in this space, is the dominant architectural feature, which is visible even form the distant perspective of Świętojańska Street. It’s a deliberate, city-forming initiative, facilitating orientation around the city structure – he added.

271 apartments have been constructed in the building, whereas the ground floor houses commercial premises. The developer has also planned a roof-top viewing deck, from where one will be able to enjoy the seaside views. The building is distinguished by the investor’s concern to develop the common areas, where the residents can enjoy their leisure time. The 200-m space includes i.a. a private relaxation zone with a common room equipped with a snooker table, a gym as well as saunas.

– Portova offers its residents the most unique combination of common and recreational areas. An excellent example of this is the co-working office space – writes Michał Ciomek, the Project Manager at Invest Komfort. – We have implemented solutions and facilities, that foster an atmosphere of focus and creativity, while at the same time providing the highest level of work comfort.

The developer also sought to accomodate the needs of families and of the youngest of Portova residents. A children’s playground has been constructed on the green patio, and in the children’s relaxation zone a ‘kids room’ has been designed in accordance with the principles of the Montessori method, which focuses on the all round development of the child. The Gdynia character of the residential development is also reflected in the interior design. The modern and elegant interiors have been given natural material finishes. The investor also took care of the landscape architecture surrounding the building, so thatthe residents could enjoy it all year round.

– The grounds of the inner courtyards have been designed as intimate relaxation areas, with direct access restricted to the owners -says Małgorzata Sobótka of Studio Krajobraz. – All the components have been refined to the smallest detail, to make the space attractive and, above all, functional. Everything that is visible around the building at the level of the street entrance, is only a very small sample of what happens in the courtyards, the intermediate roofs and on the viewing deck.

The presence of this new construction development has made a very clear statement in this part of the city. Within the framework of Portova construction, the developer also took care of the surrounding area. One of the most troublesome intersections in the city has been reconstructed – at the intersection of the Wendy, Portowa, Węglowa and św. Piotra Streets. The work also included a system of traffic lights, elements of street furniture as well as bicycle lanes. All of these initiatives will make the space surrounding the building more attractive, widening and opening up the area of the Gdynia City Centre in the process, and creating a new, interesting urban space.

– Portova opens a new chapter in the history of the City Centre, it widens and opens it up, provides new commercial premises, and creates new opportunities for walks and bicycle trips. We firmly believe that, the Portova neighbourhood will become as popular as the Brabank area in Gdańsk, where we have extended the Motława pedestrian mall and created a new and popular riverside urban square or the New Orłowo, which by means of numerous shops, cafes and restaurants, has become a popular meeting place for the Gdynia residents. When we invest in new construction in the heart of the city, we look forward to the future, attempting to anticipate the direction of the city’s development and to provide it with a positive boost – states Krzysztof Piotrowski, the Marketing Manager at Invest Komfort.

photo: InvestKomfort