Although Szczecin's authorities planned to commission the project for the reconstruction of the reclaimed Chrobry Boulevard through a tender - this will not happen. The community of Szczecin architects sought to organize an architectural competition for such an important location. Apparently, successfully.
In January, Piotr Krzystek, the mayor of Szczecin, announced that the representative waterfront at the foot of the Chrobry Embankment would finally become municipal. Such a decision is the aftermath of a battle that the city - for as many as seven years - has been waging with Żegluga Polska (its main shareholder is the state). Now, as part of the settlement, the valuable land - Chrobry Boulevard and Wieleckie Wharf - has once again fallen into the hands of the local government. With the announcement of the dispute's finale, the local authorities announced the reconstruction of the boulevards, estimated at PLN 100 million. The project is to include, among other things, Jana z Kolna Street, narrowing of the roadway, widening of the boulevards, construction of retail and service pavilions with recreation areas and small architecture.
Chrobry Boulevard, wider and friendlier
After years of incomprehensible blocking of the investment, a settlement was reached in court, under which this representative waterfront returns to us - the residents. What does this mean? Both the boulevard and Wielecki Wharf Street will change their face. It will be wider and friendlier for strollers. When? Today it is difficult to indicate, but we will do everything to find funds for this investment. However, the first, very important step is already being made. For us it is a breakthrough," commented Piotr Krzystek.
The city authorities - at least in the announcements - set the pace for the project quite quickly and showed the preliminary concept. Hardly surprising, after all, the election campaign period is considered the best time to boast about investments. And while many residents applauded the vision of a space teeming with urban life, at the same time there was a barrage of criticism for an excess of concrete, insufficient greenery and hardly innovative solutions.
The concept calls for the construction of retail and service pavilions
© Szczecin City Hall
This is only a concept, a more detailed construction project is yet to come, the mayor announced.
good news from the City
Indeed, Szczecin, on the basis of the concept, intended to commission a project through a tender. But this was met with criticism from Szczecin architects, who argued that the design for one of the city's key spaces should be chosen in a competition.
Concept for the development of Chrobry Boulevard
© Szczecin City Hall
Now, according to wSzczecinie.pl, officials have changed their minds and the new look of Chrobry Boulevard will be decided by a competition. We asked the Szczecin City Hall about the details, and we are waiting for an answer.
This is great news. In a tender we ask "for how much?", and in a competition - "how?". There are completely different criteria, the competition gives the city several solutions, from which the jury will choose the best one," comments Aleksandra Kopińska Szykuć, an architect quoted by wSzczecine.pl, who runs "ARCHIVOLTA", a series of debates organized by the Szczecin portal. - I very much hope that the competition formula will become a permanent fixture in Szczecin, and who knows, maybe the Philharmonic Hall and the Breakthroughs Dialogue Center will soon gain a worthy companion. Both buildings were created through architectural competitions and, importantly, won international awards.
