Honorable mention (ex aequo) in the master's degree category in
competition named after Professor Zygmunt Majerski

Author
Marek Grąbczewski

Title
Faith and Reason. Church and school as generators of public life in the space of the modern city

promoter
dr Damian Radwański

university
Silesian University of Technology

author's description

In Odolany, one of the newly established Warsaw neighborhoods, there is a dispute between residents. A plot of land belonging to the city, located within the estate, was given to the Catholic Church as compensation. It is carrying out its intention to build a temple there for the new community. Among some Odolan residents, however, such a decision aroused dissatisfaction. Over the course of two years, this group has organized several actions to block the construction and change the area's designation to educational use. Both sides have strong arguments: a neighborhood of 15,000 people needs both a church and a school.
The post-industrial areas of Odolan have been divided up and almost entirely sold off to developers. As a result, the new housing development is virtually devoid of public land and facilities. The plot of land on Grodziska Street is the last vacant space belonging to the city that can be used for public purposes.
In view of the existing conditions, it is necessary to synthesize the contradictory expectations of the Odolany plot - the solution is an educational and sacred complex, consisting of a church and a school. By proving the possibility of coexistence, the dispute that divided the community can be resolved.
Church and school, although separated, need not be in opposition. What's more, their coexistence brings many benefits, both for each other and for the communities that use them. Odolany suffers from a shortage of common and recreational spaces. The project should compensate for the lack of these spaces by creating a place with the potential to bring people together, where they can also spend their leisure time.