Architects from the WXCA studio have developed a project to revitalize the area in front of the Wola Park shopping center in Warsaw. The preliminary concept includes the redevelopment of the historic Ulrich Gardens and historic greenhouses.
The history of Ulrich Gardens, located on Górczewska Street, which includes a park, a villa and greenhouses, dates back to the 19th century. On the grounds of the former Horticultural Works of C. Ulrich established Warsaw's first iron greenhouse for growing pineapples, a show garden and horticultural nurseries operated. Unfortunately, after the farm was nationalized in 1958, following the death of the last owner, the area was gradually neglected, despite the entry of the park (in 1976) and the greenhouse, the wooden building and the Ulrich manor house (in 2001) in the register of monuments.
If the concept proposed by architects from the WXCA studio receives permission from the conservator, the process of restoring Ulrich Gardens to its former splendor will begin. The investor and owner of the Wola Park shopping center, INGKA Centres, wants to create a place in the area that will fit the needs of entire families, offering space for meetings, retail and dining. It is planned to take two years to complete.
Before any work begins, however, the relics of the greenhouse have been roofed over and the protective fence has been replaced. The elements of the new fence display graphics depicting both the history of the historic site and building and the Ulrich family, as well as a visualization of the architectural concept for the WXCA project.
mockup
© WXCA
The transformation of the park will involve, among other things, expanding its area by developing green belts into a plaza area separating the two parts of the park. According to the project, the eastern part of the park will undergo significant reconstruction, which the investor wants to transform into a natural space offering interesting sensory experiences, as well as incorporating educational and play elements. The plans also include replacing the park's existing lighting system with an energy-efficient one, introducing decorative greenery backlighting, and upgrading the sewage system so that the water saved can be used to water the plants.
The preserved greenhouses consist of two above-ground parts connected underground by a brick connector, and the brick chimneys added to them, along with the base, are relics of former heating boiler houses. The investors' goal is to bring the greenhouses, which have not been used for years, back to life. According to the preliminary concept, the western greenhouse will be adapted for catering purposes, while the eastern greenhouse will become a family-friendly space.
mockup
© WXCA
Plans call for restoring the massing of the greenhouse buildings, preserving the direction and pitch of the roofs while raising them at ground level to about seven meters above sea level. Details of white ironwork and glazing supported by a reinforced steel-framed structure will be restored. The existing underground rooms will be preserved and expanded with a new technical section, explains Monika Lemanska, co-author of the project with WXCA.
