The new Warsaw Center is slowly beginning to take shape. Not long ago we wrote about the reconstruction of Bracka Street, now the opening of Chmielna Street in its new look is fast approaching. What has already changed, and what else can be expected from the revitalization of the promenade in the center of the capital?
The center of Warsaw is to be greener, with fewer cars and concrete - assumptions that find a place of honor in many conversations about the future of the capital. Some of them are documents, like the resolution on the Green Vision for Warsaw, others are hypothetical discussions, like the one held by WXCA on the future of Wislostrada, while in the case of still others we are talking about concrete plans and the steps leading to their implementation. The latter case includes the revitalization of Chmielna Street in Warsaw.
New Center of Warsaw
Some time ago we wrote about the reconstruction of Bracka Street, which went from being a dead-end street where dozens of cars wandered and parked, to being transformed into a woonerf ending in a green, tree-filled plaza. The change was made as part of the New Center of Warsaw project, a comprehensive plan to create a green "network" wrapping around Downtown. Kacper Kępinski wrote about the work planned under this project some time ago. At the time, most of the activities remained in the realm of planning, and the implementation of individual parts of the New Center proceeded rather imperceptibly. This is slowly changing, as the New Center of Warsaw is being joined by more streets, squares and plazas, which are being transformed into pedestrian-friendly spaces. Chmielna Street, which is already taking on a completely new face, at least in part, is expected to be among them in the fall.
Green Chmielna - the square by the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
green Chmielna
The project for the reconstruction of Chmielna Street between Wiecha Passage and Nowy Świat Street was presented by the City last spring. The concepts were prepared by landscape studio RS Architektura Krajobrazu, which plans to completely change its character by introducing a considerable amount of plantings, both low and high. A total of 95 trees will grow on both sides of the promenade, which will eventually, after a few years, provide shade and aid water retention during heavy rainstorms. The square next to the Atlantic cinema, where benches and a fountain will appear, will be composed in a completely new way. All the work is being carried out in accordance with public consultations and under the eye of the Historic Preservation Officer, who gave permission for such a large number of tall plantings in the surroundings of historic tenements. After considerable confusion that arose around the tender for the project, the revitalization of Chmielna is finally being carried out by the Balzola company, which recently announced that the first of the planned sections of the new street is now available.
Green Chmielna - the square next to the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
Revolution in front of the Atlantic Cinema
The site in question is the section of Chmielna right at the intersection with Wiecha Passage and in front of the Atlantic Cinema. In this place new pavement has been laid, car parking spaces have been cleaned up , and, above all, the number of trees and shrubs has been significantly increased , equipping the square with elements of small architecture - baskets and benches with flowing shapes, surrounding small islands of greenery with trees. The square in front of the Atlantic cinema was planned to be completed later, but the company responsible for the construction, Balzola, reached an agreement with the City, which planned to commemorate August Abgol Obrowne, a jazz musician who fought in the Warsaw Uprising, at the site. Thanks to the quicker completion of the square, representatives of the embassy of Nigeria, the homeland of "Ali," were able to attend the August 1 ceremony.
Green Chmielna - the square by the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
don't say hop until you've skipped
However, we will still have to wait a little longer for the new Chmielna - the remaining sections of the street are still under construction and are far from being completed. According to official information, the investment is supposed to be completed in autumn - looking at the considerable scope of work remaining to be done, it's hard to say whether the deadline will be met. However, there is no denying that changes on Chmielna are taking place. Recently , on the narrowest part of the street, preceding Five Corners Square, elm trees have appeared, planted in two rows. The trees, whose crowns are easily moldable, are to create a canopy over the street providing shade on the hottest days.
Green Chmielna - the square by the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
Will the green changes on Chmielna stand the test of time? In the case of many such developments, new plantings quickly wither away due to insufficient water and soil needed to develop a root system. Just over two months ago, trees that were planted last year in front of the city hall withered. Now new ones have appeared in their place, under "warranty." We hope that a similar absurdity can be avoided on Chmielna, and proper care will provide the trees planted there with favorable conditions for development.
Green Chmielna - the square by the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
green puzzle
Chmielna is another piece of the Warsaw puzzle on the way to a new, more resident-friendly Center. When completed, it will create a long green route that will lead from the intersection of Pasaż Wiecha, through the Five Corners Square, which was revitalized last year, to the dead end of Bracka Street. Altogether, this gives a walk of more than half a kilometer. At the same time, the downtown green space is to be merged in the near future thanks to the extensive reconstruction of Jasna, Zgoda and Sienkiewicz streets, which will undergo perhaps the biggest metamorphosis. Also planned completely from scratch is Powstańców Warszawy Square, where an underground parking garage for 420 cars is already under construction to compensate for the loss of parking spaces on the greened streets.
Green Chmielna - the square next to the Atlantic Cinema
© Balzola | RS Landscape Architecture
not only the center
Not all green changes in the capital are taking place as part of the New Warsaw Center project. In the immediate vicinity, the shortage of greenery will also be supplemented by the reconstruction of the square in front of the Zodiak pavilion. This one will take place as part of a warranty renovation, as the last modernization of this area, carried out with the reconstruction of the pavilion in 2018, did not have the desired effect. Now there will be greenery in the concreted square to make it a more welcoming space. Recently, the Capital City Council also announced a tender for the reconstruction of Grzybowska Street in the section between John Paul II Avenue and Siedmiogrodzka Street. In addition to work to improve traffic flow and clean up parking, Grzybowska is also to be made more suitable for use by pedestrians and cyclists. Sidewalks and bicycle paths will be created, and the street will be enriched with more than 100 new trees.
