We publish more student works selected in the preselection in the competition for press reportage on architecture. We invite you to read the text of Magdalena Lucka entitled. "The city is an organism".
Magdalena Lucka - a third-year engineering student at Poznan University of Technology, currently on an Erasmus+ exchange program at Universitat Politècnica de València. In addition to architecture, she is interested in dance, photography, healthy lifestyle, as well as cooking and music - she plays the violin and piano.
A city is an organism
The city is an organism. This is where the social and professional life of at least half of the world's humanity takes place. Each person has his or her own desires and goals to achieve each day. Moving from place to place, it creates a network of paths, roads, interconnected places. Looking out the window in an apartment, he finds himself in a private space, only to walk out onto the street he shares with other people after breakfast. Both of these places should give a person a sense of security. It is therefore an extremely important issue that the space surrounding each of us should be thoughtful, neat and varied, as well as facilitate our daily affairs.
Thanks to the opportunity to go on an Erasmus trip, I have the opportunity to get to know a new city, which from the first moments amazes and intrigues me. Valencia. A city shaped by history. The architecture here is part of a thoughtful urban planning that also combines numerous green spaces with places where there is something for everyone.
Good architecture is a friendly conversation between public and private space. If there is no such thing, if there is a disconnect between one and the other - then there is no architecture said Alexander Volodarski, the author of the Stockholm settlements Starrbäcksängen and Svea Fanfar.
In his projects, this architect proved that one does not need monumental buildings, spectacular solutions to make a space properly serve its inhabitants. Indeed, durability, usability and beauty are the main factors that guide an architect when designing, since the time of Vitruvius. Form is extremely important in the perception of reality by humans. Perceiving harmony, creating a creative space that arouses emotions - also moves the intellect. However, what would even the most beautiful house in history be, standing alone, like a statue, without its inhabitants? It would prove impractical for people in their daily lives, which, unfortunately, are no longer so often spectacular.
Valencia is the third largest city in Spain, after Madrid and Barcelona. Like most places in the country - rich in history and traditions. It has its own unique characteristic, which, in my opinion, extremely enriches the city and makes it special. Due to the great flood that occurred on October 14, 1957, it was decided to change the course of the Turia River, which passed through the city. Despite such a great prospect, controversial because of its interference with the environment, this action brought many benefits to the city. The proper development of the resulting space has greatly enriched the qualities of Valencia's livability. Indeed, the riverbed has been developed as a park with a large number of attractions, such as playgrounds, gyms, sports fields, but also walking and bicycle paths and even special routes for runners.
Photo: Magdalena Lucka
The contribution of greenery is, after all, an extremely important spatial aspect - it is a ventilation for the city, not only visually making the area more attractive, but also compensating for the destructive contribution of man, who year after year, limits its existence, thus destroying the planet. Turia Gardens, however, is not the only place of greenery in Valencia. You can also find beautiful parks, which are also great places to socialize, pursue passions, relax or study - especially because of the city's climate - full of sunshine throughout the year. Greenery is also found in the street space. You can find interesting solutions in the division of roads, which are conducive to walking and cycling (city bike, bicycle paths). The existence of a subway, which does not interfere with the city's ground space, facilitates faster travel from place to place, without the need for a car - making it a relatively uncongested city, which is not without significance for the environment.
Photo: Magdalena Lucka
Theroad performs mainly a communication function, but also a boundary function between buildings - its width determines, among other things, the shading of neighboring buildings and, as a result, the complete urban design, the division into quarters. The development, especially within the Old Town, is well thought out, subdued, and the newly created forms are often an example of proper integration of the project into the context of the surroundings. Openings are mainly oriented to the east and west, as well as the north, while the southern elevation is usually carefully obscured - with balconies often present - to cut off the direct flow of sunlight and, as a result, excessive heating of apartments, especially on hot days.
Photo: Magdalena Lucka
Thepublic space in the city both from early morning and late at night is full of people - social life is a very important aspect of daily life for every Spaniard. The streets in places are full of tables and chairs, which are sometimes empty only when it rains. Undoubtedly - the public space of the city very much encourages people to get out of the house and spend time outdoors - whether alone or meeting with neighbors. Undoubtedly, the climate is also not without significance, but if it were not for the rational and thoughtful management of the area - even the sun would not do much in an area of fully concreted space, without places to stop, relax, pursue passions.
Photo: Magdalena Lucka
In the residential sphere, Valencia also has an interesting layout. To the right of the Turia gardens (in line with the former riverbank) is the city center - full of traffic and road noise. Walking through the streets of the Old Town in particular, the analysis should also not overlook the magnificent examples of dominant buildings. They encourage you to go deeper and deeper into the space of charming streets, to arrive one by one at various types of squares or interestingly landscaped squares. However, fans of greater tranquility, quietness outside the window, will undoubtedly find themselves in the apartments located to the left of the course of the former Turia River. Despite the large number of students ("university towns" have their places here), the traffic, as it happens on the outskirts of the city, is definitely less, and the distance from the center is convenient enough, even for walking or bicycle commuting.
Photo: Magdalena Lucka
The city is an organism. This is where the social and professional life of at least half of humanity in the world takes place. In my opinion, Valencia is an example of thoughtful urban planning. Although it is undoubtedly far from Scandinavian "ideals," it captivates with beautiful both ancient and relatively new architecture ( Santiago Calatrava 's complex in collaboration with Felix Candela - La Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias in theTuria's southern garden area), a high proportion of greenery in the urban fabric, and encourages residents to enter public spaces, observe their surroundings and comfortably enjoy the privileges of living in the city.
Magdalena ŁUCKA
Alufire was a partner in the competition
