{From the Faculty of Architecture at Gdansk University of Technology, she created an engineering thesis that won First Prize for Diploma of the Year SARP Oddział Wybrzeże. Her "Place of Uniting and Sharing Goodness" is a design for the development of War Invalids Square in Gdansk Oliva, with the potential to be a public space conducive to integrating and uniting the Oliva community.
drawing
© Ada Zurańska
idea
The main idea of the project was to bring out the potential of the location and respond to the needs of the residents. A key aspect is cooperation and assistance, so spaces for sharing knowledge and skills were designed. Places were created, integrating and supporting the community, such as a window for the poorest. War Invalids Square was designed as a unifying place, open to creative activities by residents. It features dining, coworking and creative zones for workshops, exhibitions, concerts and even a bakery supporting the needy. The green-integrated architecture, based on cross-laminated wood construction, has a positive environmental impact, low carbon footprint and aesthetically pleasing appearance. The design also takes into account the possibility of dismantling and adapting the structure, further emphasizing the ecological aspect of this development.
visualization
© Ada Zurańska
site development concept
The site development project largely conforms to the provisions of the Municipal Land Use Plan, although it does not fully comply with the maximum and impassable building lines. The MPZP is still in the unapproved stage, so there is a possibility of its correction. The buildings have been placed on the eastern and western walls of the square, and an additional object, inscribed in the circular forms of the square, forms a wall of demarcation between the green square and the streetcar tracks. The design of the square has undergone changes from the original concept. The underground garage was removed, guided byecological solutions and minimal interference with the site. The traffic axis, originally running straight from north to south, was replaced by a meandering path that invites visitors to explore. Circular squares of greenery contrast with rectilinear forms of architecture, and slightly varying heights encourage relaxation on the grass. The plaza makes it possible to hold exhibitions, fairs and clothing exchange events. The existing greenery has been preserved and enhanced with new plantings. The paths between the green islands are lined with gravel, and the paved surfaces along the buildings and the fire road have a natural covering. The whole area forms a green, well-maintained square, connecting the main streets and providing a foreground for the main entrance to Olive Park.
site development plan
© Ada Zurańska
architectural form
The buildings have been located along the eastern and western borders of the plot, emphasizing the axis and enclosing the square. The buildings are low, two-story, blending with the greenery, designed not to cut down any of the existing trees.
The western wall of the square is a public building with an open, galleried exterior. It is the largest and most representative building, two-story with a green flat roof, so it harmonizes with the surrounding greenery. The plan of the building is similar to a rectangle, divided into three parts, symmetrically interrupted by a green interior, connected by an external gallery at level +1. The wooden gallery, facing the green square, breaks the barrier between the building and the greenery, in the future it will be covered with climbing plants.
visualization
© Ada Zurańska
Thepublic toilet and bicycle station are the smallest of the designed buildings, on an incomplete circular plan. The circular wall provides insulation from the streetcar tracks. The one-story form with a flat green roof, which is also a summer terrace, closes the unfavorable corner of the plot.
visualization
© Ada Zurańska
At the eastern wall of the square, a two-story building was designed on a rectangular plan with a sloping roof, harmonizing with the neighboring houses. The building is overshadowed by a belt of trees, which ensures its isolation from the square. The façade is covered with boards, and along the west elevation on the first floor there is a pergola, creating a green corridor leading to the entrances of the building. On warm days, the first floor can open up to the greenery, enlarging the interior and connecting it to nature.
elevations
© Ada Zurańska
functional program
The southern part of the designed building, or Morning / Evening , is a place for meetings, conversations and integration, operating from early morning until late at night. It serves coffee and sandwiches with baked goods from a local bakery in the morning, and wine and small snacks in the evening. On the first floor is an open seating area overlooking the inner courtyard, where small concerts can be held on warm evenings. A room for organized meetings and a gallery terrace overlooking the green square are planned for the first floor.
Anartisan micro-bakery, located on the first floor of the northern part of the building, operates in two shifts, offering fresh baked goods, including for the homeless. The baking process can be viewed through a panoramic window.
TheFirst Needs/Press store, open 24 hours a day, is located on the first floor on the north side of the building, with a glass corner opening to a view of Olive Park.
Acoworking area on the first floor of the north side of the building offers open and closed work areas and a conference room. An outdoor restroom, bicycle parking and a quick bike repair area are designed for cyclists visiting Olive.
The creative zone at the eastern boundary of the site includes a staircase with built-in seating, space for a stage and exhibitions, and a library and creative/painting room.
projections
© Ada Zurańska
