Flemish formula through the eyes of an architect
Interview with Michal Bułat from the winning studio APA Jacek Bułat, whose project for the development of the Lazarski Market is in the final stages of implementation.
Ania Diduch: To which sports discipline would you compare design work in the formula of a traditional architectural competition, and to which in the Flemish formula (from the architect's point of view)? Slalom, hurdle run, marathon, or maybe pole vaulting?
Michal Bulat:The Flemish Formula most closely resembles an international soccer or volleyball team game, in which we first have an open-formula elimination and then a final tournament. Any team that makes it to the finals can prepare well and present thoughtful, good work in the finals. The jury can select and award the best of them. In the Flemish formula, the evaluation of works is more thorough - with fewer works there is simply more time for this. The settlements of such competitions are better received socially, they also have much more elaborate and detailed justifications by the jury. The losers in such finals are also recognized. They have their satisfaction both prestigious and financial. A traditional competition is more of a knockout competition, where a lot depends on luck (draws like in sports). It is difficult to be noticed when fifty or more works are submitted to the competition.
Lazarski Market - axonometric view
pic: © APA Jacek Bulat
Ania: How financially comfortable are you with working in this competition formula, which is new in Poland? I'm asking about all the stages.
Michal: Developing a good competition work requires many hours of intensive work, and the probability of winning is relatively low. Dividing the competition into two stages allows us to limit the involvement of the design team in the work, which will be the only cost for the architectural studio. The first stage and "description of the vision," which is open to all interested parties, involves the development of a short study description with illustrations capturing the ideas, atmosphere, proportions and other features of the future design. This is the qualifying moment, from which five teams are invited to further compete. For participation in the second stage, where a very detailed author's concept with a mock-up must already be developed, reimbursement is provided in an amount comparable to third place prizes in a traditional competition. The financial comfort of the work is much higher in a competition organized under the Flemish formula.
Ania: In this competition formula, are office costs higher or lower at the preparation stage? Or is it the same as in a classic competition?
Michal: The costs of completing the competition work in both formulas are similar. However, the Flemish formula gives us the certainty that once we qualify for the main, most labor-intensive stage of the competition, we are guaranteed reimbursement for the cost of doing the work and a good chance for a prize. This is undoubtedly quite an incentive to try our hand at this competition. The office's finances won't suffer too much, although let's not kid ourselves, the so-called reimbursement is only partial and will only sweeten defeat somewhat, if it happens.
The most spectacular part of the new Market Square's design is, of course, the shopping area and the circular ETFE foil canopy stretched over a steel frame weighing 135 tons, consisting of 26 poles forming three circles (the large "cushion" is 1,744 sq. m., the small one - 492 sq. m.); visually, the effect is intriguing and visually calms the irregular space of the square
vision: © APA Jacek Bulat
Ania: It is the city that initiated the use of the open call architectural competition formula. Who in the City Hall was responsible for this idea?
Michal: In the Poznań City Hall, the tasks of revitalization are supervised by Deputy Mayor Mariusz Wisniewski. During the consultations, he repeatedly participated in meetings with residents, and now regularly visits the construction site. The competition was organized by the City's Project Coordination and Revitalization Department. From the very beginning, the Lazarus neighborhood revitalization project has been led by Director Katarzyna Parysek-Kasprzyk and her colleagues. In addition, mention should be made of architect David Strębicki, who managed to encourage city officials to try this new competition formula.
Ania: The Flemish method emphasizes the social factor when working on an architectural concept. To what extent did the outlook of residents and users of the Market realistically influence the final shape of the implementation?
Michal: The announcement of the competition was preceded by extensive public consultations conducted on behalf of the Poznań City Hall by the team of the Center for Metropolitan Research of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, led by Prof. Dr. Piotr Jankowski. On the basis of the report from these consultations, the directions for the modernization of the Lazarski Market were determined, which formed the basis of the rules of the architectural competition. Entering the competition, we received a lot of materials from the borderline of sociology and statistics. Conclusions from these materials, translated into concrete plans, were included in our project.
Revitalization is also a kind of layout of the entire space, the layout of benches, greenery, traffic regulation; we managed to achieve the effect of a characteristic and well-ordered area
vision: © APA Jacek Bulat
Ania: What method and stages were used to obtain information from neighborhood residents and market users?
Michal: Information needed to determine the guidelines of the architectural competition was obtained at meetings with residents. The public consultation was written about in November/December 2015 on the city's website, social media, local press and online portals. In addition, residents were given the opportunity to express their opinions via a geo-questionnaire posted on a special web portal. Already after the adjudication, two more meetings were held with residents, and the most frequently formulated demands were included in the final project documentation.
Ania: What can the example of the Lazarski Market competition change in the nationwide approach to design work in public spaces? What is the carrying capacity of this situation, and is it even worth thinking in these terms, or is it better to focus on the quality of the local results of the work, and these will pay off in the future?
Michal: This is a very difficult question beyond the work of an architect. If the reception of Lazarski Square after revitalization is positive, both among the residents and the city authorities of Poznan, this example will be eagerly followed nationwide as well. But will subsequent cities or local governments, looking at the entire investment cycle - from sociological research, through the competition, design, tendering and implementation - have the time and patience to implement it? We know how many investment activities in Poland depend on the tenure of authorities and the rhythm of elections. It takes a great deal of awareness and sustained continuity on the part of local authorities to implement such meticulously and carefully considered investments. Unfortunately, such very complicated investments are often implemented under the "Design and Build" formula. This gives an illusory sense of saving time and money.
View of the Market in the final stage of construction, summer 2021
Photo: Marta Rajpolt, Michal Bułat © APA Jacek Bułat
It is important that the competition in the Flemish format should not be reduced to the mere development of competition works or the financial aspects of reimbursement of development costs. The essence of this form of shaping public space is consultation. Public consultation at a very early stage of investment planning prevents situations in which projects submitted to the competition grossly deviate from the expectations formulated by the organizers and the local community. Every local community must have the opportunity to get involved in the process of creating the surrounding space. Only through direct participation, can a sense of agency and belonging to a given place be created.
Ania: Thank you for the interview.
