In 2022, amid the Masurian lakes, wetlands and peat bogs, two small, though accommodating multitude of functions, buildings have sprung up. Opened in May of this year, the Biodiversity and Nature Education Center "Kumak" in Urwitałta delights.
some history
"Kumak" in the vicinity of Lake Luknajno was not the first. Since the 1970s, a field station operated there by the Faculty of Biology of the University of Warsaw, where research was conducted on the ecosystems of Masurian lakes, wetlands and peat bogs, and "green schools" were organized to promote knowledge of this valuable environment. In 2015, a concept for the expansion of the station emerged, which was included in the Great Masurian Lakes Association's 2020 strategy and later recognized as one of the key investments for the region. The design of the new Mazurian Biodiversity and Nature Education Center "Kumak", as the new unit was named, was handled by the Warsaw architectural office Kwadratura, while the TXMA studio, in turn, was responsible for the detailed and construction design.
Mazurian Biodiversity and Education Center KUMAK - exhibition building
© Quadratura
small buildings, great possibilities
As with the aforementioned field station, the mission of the new Center is twofold - to provide a working field research facility for those studying and working at the University of Warsaw, as well as to support education and build awareness of ecosystem conservation and knowledge of the natural environment of the Mazurians. To this end, two small, circular blocks with a total usable area of just over two and a half thousand meters and surprisingly rich functional characteristics were erected in Urwitałta, near Lake Luknajno. The first of them, laboriously called the exhibition building, has mainly educational functions - for visitors, both adults and children, an extensive permanent exhibition, workshop spaces and laboratories were planned, as well as a play zone intended for the youngest. The second building, which serves a teaching function, contains spaces designed for academic activities - there are seminar rooms, living rooms or kitchen facilities. The areas around the complex have also been developed, including a small pond and a playground, referring to the theme of life in small bodies of water discussed in the exhibitions.
Mazurian Biodiversity and Education Center KUMAK - exhibition building
© Quadratura
squaring the circle
The form of the buildings of the Mazurian Biodiversity and Nature Education Center betrays a deep respect for the natural landscape, which probably guided the people who designed "Kumak". Both buildings were erected on a plan similar to a circle, with a small share of right angles and long, even edges, alien to natural forms. The facades were covered with rusty sheet metal, which melds in color with the tree trunks and soil, in which, incidentally, the buildings are partially buried. A carefully introduced aesthetic accent is the openwork pattern adorning parts of the facade in the form of ellipsoidal, sheet-cut elements that bring to mind schools of fish swimming in lakes. As we learn on the studio's website, the attics of the buildings were visually "softened" with plantings. The scale of the buildings, which are small, two-story, and their roofs are well below the treetops, is also of no small importance. All these features make the Center's buildings fit organically into their surroundings, complementing them and not significantly interfering with the existing landscape.
Mazurian Biodiversity and Education Center KUMAK - exhibition building
© Quadratura
with care for the ecosystem
Theecological dimension of "Kumak" was taken care of already at the stage of erecting the building. Designers from the {tag:pracownie} studio decided to use prefabricated elements for erecting the Center, which was probably helped by the already mentioned small scale of the buildings. Thanks to such a decision, it was possible to avoid contamination of an important natural area, which is often associated with the pouring of concrete structures on the construction site, where the contaminated water and other substances used during the process seep into the soil, poisoning the surroundings. The buildings are also equipped with systems to reduce the negative impact on the environment during the operational phase of their life cycles. Thermal comfort in "Kumak" is taken care of by capillary mats, which are connected to heat pumps powered by photovoltaic panels. Proper water management has also been taken care of, implementing a gray water circulation system in the buildings.
Mazurian Biodiversity and Education Center KUMAK - permanent exhibition
Photo: Lech Hus © Kwadratura + Delta
walk in the reeds
True to its name in the exhibition building, the biggest attraction is the permanent exhibition, designed by the Bialystok-based company Delta AV. The exhibition in "Kumak" implements a modern exhibition model, combining traditional "behind the glass" exhibits, multimedia installations and interactive haptic objects. The exhibition has a multisensory dimension - you can watch life going on in the peat bog, get your hands wet in one of the twenty aquariums placed in the exhibition, or listen to birds singing while walking between clumps of reeds. Despite the large number of multimedia elements, the exhibition seems friendly to those sensitive to intense stimuli - the lighting of the exhibition, suspended in twilight, is warm and unobtrusive, while the small scale of the building allows you to quickly and easily leave the space. Also worthy of praise is the educational activity that has been carried out in "Kumak" for a long time - on the Facebook profile of the institution we can find numerous accounts of conferences, field workshops or open days organized at the Center, which carries out its mission in an extremely active manner.
Mazurian Biodiversity and Education Center KUMAK - a bird's eye view of the complex
Photo: Przemyslaw Andruk © Quadratura
a model to follow
The Mazurian Center for Biodiversity and Nature Education "Kumak" impresses in every way - from the design of the buildings, integrated with the natural surroundings, to the multifunctional and expositionally attractive interiors, to the intensive and diversified operational activities of the Center. The numerous awards that have been given to the concept and the finished project seem to be most deserved, and the Urwitał "Kumak" should serve as a model for future projects with a similar profile and location. We look forward to more such projects!
