Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma Architecture"
Since 1877, the Saturn mine was the main town-forming factor of Czeladź. It conditioned both the emerging buildings and the spatial layout of the city, as well as the social life of the residents. Workers' settlements, parks, community centers, kindergartens were built around the expanding plant. After the depletion of resources and the closing of the mine, Czeladź lost its largest industrial plant, which was a source of prosperity for the city and its residents, created its history and enriched its tradition.
summary of historical analysis
© Ada Mielczarek
The Saturn Mine concept is based on restoring the genius loci by introducing new development around its historic heart. The primary goal was to change the functional profile from the mining activities that once drove the development of Czeladź to the innovations and culture affecting the city. The creation of a technology park on the mine site would restore the dominant role of industry. Consequently, a well-run park would be associated with the attraction of new private businesses, which would have a broader impact on the development of the city as a whole.
redefining the mine
© Ada Mielczarek
The overriding factors influencing the development concept are the original spatial correlations of the mine, which created a unique, cohesive landscape of brownfields, operating on multiple levels.
The once-functioning railroad siding, located well below the level of the development, was an integral part of this environment. The sorting plant building located above it connected the development with the transportation routes both at level 0 and above.
masterplan
© Ada Mielczarek
The concept focuses on restoring lost spatial relationships by reintroducing rail transportation to the mine area, lowering the site and creating multi-faceted activity spaces. The resulting transportation route is intended to strongly link the area not only to Czeladź, but also to nearby towns, including Sosnowiec, making the park area easily accessible.
urban sections
© Ada Mielczarek
A key aspect of the mine's redefinition is the change in the local community's perception of the area. The area's extinct mining activities have not only generated the need to adapt the development to new functions, but also to transform the area itself, once subordinated to the transportation and storage of coal. The dumps located at the eastern boundary of the site, as well as on the southern side, by the shaft II machine room building, created an almost mountainous landscape, dominating the surrounding buildings.
visualization
© Ada Mielczarek
The idea of the project focuses on a symbolic reference to the site of the coal dumps by introducing new buildings there, partially hidden under the embankment of the site. The embankments created in this way at the newly designed Scheibler Street and from Dehnel Street simultaneously increase the offer of green areas and create a buffer for the park separating it from street traffic. The embankment of the site, stretching almost along the entire length of the eastern boundary, has been cut by a pedestrian route, which emphasizes the official entrance to the park area. Together with the introduced tall greenery, the part of the mine's "foreground" creates a compositional background for the historic fire station building and corresponds with the park establishment located on the opposite side of Dehnel Street, preserving the continuity of the ecosystem in the area. The compositional axis of the entrance faces the Saturn Museum on one side and the risalit of the historic boiler house on the other. Moving along the narrow path, one slowly discovers the park's diverse landscape emerging from behind the buildings built into the escarpment.
visualization
© Ada Mielczarek
The main attraction and at the same time the core of the mine site are the remaining buildings. The premise of the concept revolves around the idea of multi-level exhibition spaces, accessed by passageways in the form of overhanging paths, guiding both the outside area and penetrating into the interior of the buildings. The idea demonstrates the scale of the mine's foundation and offers varied vantage points, treating the entire area as a museum exhibition space. The paths through the buildings themselves create an art installation that wraps around the buildings from the outside.
Concept for overhanging the historic part of the mine
© Ada Mielczarek
The very establishment of the overhanging, irregular paths over the historic buildings is expected to contribute to the restoration of the symbolism of the site, as well as create a recognizable attraction that will attract users.
Ada MIELCZAREK
Illustrations: © Author
