Poorly designed urban squares have a way of requiring further, endless changes quickly after disastrous reconstructions. The same fate has befallen Dabrowski Square in Lodz - now the authority is looking for designers who will change the face of this space.
Henry DabrowskiSquare in Lodz is an important transportation hub in the immediate vicinity of the Grand Theater. Its history dates back to the 19th century. It has changed its purpose several times from a commercial square to a representative square. In 2009, redevelopment of the site began and was completed. The square is primarily a concrete slab with small flower beds surrounded by greenery. The main attraction is a fountain in the shape of sea waves by Rafal Szrajber, which has been causing controversy for many years.
Henryka Dabrowskiego Square in Lodz needs changes
© Press materials of the City Hall of Lodz
What is the reason for the need for change? The square is completely non-functional, and its sizable area is not used in any way. Consultations prepared by the city showed the need to increase the amount of greenery, rebuild the fountain, create a place for gastronomy or tidy up the part with florist kiosks. The lifespan of Dabrowski Square in this form was extremely short - less than thirteen years.
The square does not meet the expectations of residents, and is invariably criticized. It is time to change it. We have just announced a tender for the preparation of a new design. It will be a unique competition, because the architects are to create the concept together with the citizens of Lodz," points out Maciej Riemer, director of the Department of Ecology of the City of Lodz Office.
Today this space is a concrete desert
© Press materials of the City Hall of Lodz
what is the idea for the square?
The magistrate has announced a tender, in which the main criteria are the involvement of residents in the design work and the vision of the square after its changes. As the office points out, the architects who prove to be the best are to design the square in two stages. First, they will prepare several variants of solutions to the problems facing Dabrowski Square. These will be subjected to consultations with Lodz residents. The selected solutions will then be turned into a design. It will be necessary to wait for the designers to assess their interest in the tender. Everything depends on the bid. When does the magistrate anticipate starting work?
Once we have a concept that meets the expectations of residents, we will announce a tender for a contractor for the reconstruction. We can expect the construction crew on the square next year," announces Maciej Riemer.
residents want this space to be completely different
© Press materials of the City Hall of Lodz
short life of urban modernizations
Dąbrowskiego Square is an example of how short the life of urban spaces can be, which degrade within a few years through faulty design. Today, it is necessary to develop a completely new space, taking into account the issues of heat islands, rainwater retention, the possibility of the square's use by residents or the development of public transport hubs. This also shows two important developments in thinking about urban squares: the participation of residents in their redevelopment is important, and concrete deserts face redevelopment, or a slow death.
The changes regarding Henryk Dabrowski Square are part of a strategy for redeveloping the center of Lodz. Which way Lodz wants to go in terms of urban space is discussed by the city's mayor Hanna Zdanowska in the latest issue of A&B, which you can download for free on our portal(see here).
