Instead of thirty million zlotys - one hundred and fifty-eight. That's how much the cost of the Berdychowska footbridge in Poznań increased over four years. Its design was selected four years ago in a competition. Were only time, inflation and the construction boom at fault? Will the city reach for other projects from the competition podium?
Theamounts demanded by contractors in last week's tender for the construction of the Berdychowska footbridge in Poznań - a pedestrian and bicycle crossing over the Warta River and its relief channel in the very center - came as ashock. The lowest price: PLN 158 million (details here). Five times more than the city assumed in 2018. More than twice as much as estimated a year ago, when the cost increase to nearly 69 million raised controversy and concern about the implementation of the footbridge. Concerns were dashed last fall, however, when Poznań received 95 million from the government for the investment, so-called compensation for reduced tax revenues during the pandemic. Now it turns out that even this is not enough. And significantly so. So what is going on here?
First the misfire, then the costs
In the case of the Berdychov pedestrian and bicycle bridge, much has gone with the Hitchcock movie rule. It started with a conceptual misfire, and then the horror was delivered by steadily rising costs. First, in 2015, the city announced that a needed and sensible crossing linking the Old Town with the Polytechnic area would be built from removed historic spans of the railroad bridge in Poznan's Starołęka. The idea was a breakneck one, as initial visualizations already showed. The trusses of the railroad bridge would have disturbed the much-appreciated view from the south over Ostrów Tumski with its cathedral.
After protests, the concept fell through and the city - in line with the demands of the architectural community - held a competition. It was won in 2018 by a consortium consisting of: ARPA Architektoniczna Pracownia Jerzy Gurawskiego, Błażej Szurkowski, Maciej Sokolnicki and Adam Turczyn. The winner was the visually lightest design - two independent footbridges supported only on the banks - without additional supports. The first - between the Old Town and the tip of Ostrów Tumski (165 meters), the second - between the island and the campus of the University of Technology (117 meters). Already at the time of the selection, unofficial comments were heard that such a solution is technically very difficult and - consequently - expensive.
Design of the Berdychowska footbridge in Poznań - proj. ARPA Architektoniczna Pracownia Jerzego Gurawskiego, Błażej Szurkowski, Maciej Sokolnicki and Adam Turczyn
© ARPA Architektoniczna Pracownia Jerzego Gurawskiego, Błażej Szurkowski, Maciej Sokolnicki and Adam Turczyn
without slimming down
However, the design work was fine-tuned and - with 95 million from the government - implementation seemed almost certain. It turned out otherwise. Thus, voices have returned regarding the cost of the demanding construction and the diligence of the judges selecting the design. In evaluating the competition entries, an important aspect was to fit within the budget (at the time - 30 million zlotys). However, this proved impossible from the very beginning. The city even intended to "slim down" the project for some time (narrowing both crossings and partially abandoning the development of the Ostrów Tumski promontory) in order to fit within the 69 million planned later at the design stage.
Design of the Berdychowska footbridge in Poznań - ARPA Architektoniczna Pracownia Jerzy Gurawskiego, Błażej Szurkowski, Maciej Sokolnicki and Adam Turczyn
© ARPA Architektoniczna Pracownia Jerzego Gurawskiego, Błażej Szurkowski, Maciej Sokolnicki and Adam Turczyn
On the Facebook group Porozmawiajmy o Poznaniu run by Deputy Mayor Wisniewski, a discussion started by members of the group (it was also quoted in the local edition of Gazeta Wyborcza) continues. Despite their sympathy for the chosen form of the footbridge, most of the architects or community activists contributing there are rather opposed to realizing it for such a high amount of money. The idea of reaching for the work awarded second place (proj. CDF Architects) or honorable mention (proj. SEE studio - more on the results: here) - with a less demanding design (with supports on the floodplain) - is resonating more and more strongly. The proposal seems to make sense, especially if one takes into account the cost of other pedestrian and bicycle bridges over rivers (a footbridge over the Vistula River under construction in Warsaw costs 120 million zlotys , while another Warta River crossing in Owińska near Poznań costs only 25 million; even full-fledged road bridges are, or have recently been, cheaper).
A view of the place where the longer span of the Berdychowska footbridge over the Warta River is to be built;
this is where the Berdychowska footbridge is to begin on the Old Town side (on the other bank: the Polytechnic)
photo: Jakub Głaz
count more accurately
This brings back a question that often arises around architectural competitions: how realistic are the estimated construction costs and how accurately are the assumed cost estimates verified? Unofficially, competition judges often admit that studios are able to prepare budgets in such a way as to hit the investor's intended budget, although - if you look closely - this is impossible from the start. There is also supposed to be a shortage of people on competition juries who are able to factually verify the budgets set, and even if there are - the remuneration for judging does not allow such jurors the comfort of in-depth analysis. Of course, inflation and the boom in the construction market are also responsible for the recent increase in costs, but - as we can see - not only. There must be progress in the matter of competition calculations. Otherwise, the idea of a competition will become even more devalued. Not only among architects, but also among citizens who see how successive beautiful visualizations are unable to turn into reality.
