presentation from issue 09|2021 of A&B
The successful implementation of the Flemish formula for the architectural competition for the Lazarski Market in Poznan is a clear signal that the way the path to the dream result is designed translates directly into the quality of public architecture at each stage of its creation.
Intriguing, "landmark", unifying, or perhaps ecologically controversial? Regardless of the answer chosen, the newly developed space of the Lazarski Market Square in Poznan deserves attention. If not for functional-aesthetic reasons, then because of the way it was brought about. The project, which is now nearing completion, was selected in Poland's first competition conducted using the so-called Flemish method. The distinctive feature of this import, apart from the stylish-sounding name, is the fact that special emphasis is placed on the human aspect of architecture creation, and that among all stakeholders - users, residents, officials and - last but not least - designers.
Lazarski Market - location and spatial connections
pic: © APA Jacek Bulat
In Flanders, this procedure has worked successfully for twenty years. "Atfirst, buildings were built this way, and over time public spaces began to be designed," - reports Dawid Strębicki of Atelier Starzak Strębicki in Poznań. It was he, together with Jolanta Starzak, who in 2013 inaugurated a discussion in Poland and in Poznań about the "open invitation" procedure, publishing a series of articles in the specialized press. "The solution was created as a convenience for the work of public investors, not directly for architects. Although they are also the winners here. What does it look like in practice?
In a nutshell, an open invitation, interchangeably referred to as the Flemish formula, is a process based on EU law that regulates how the client (city or ministry) sets its investment goals, and then selects the specific architect (office) that best understands its expectations (financial, artistic, ideological). "Both the plus and minus of this process is the element of trust. It's what everything is based on. The investment is a complex undertaking, but its smoothness is guaranteed by a good relationship between the investor and the architect, so it is chosen with a lot of thought." - Dawid Strębicki adds. Trust is effectively built based on facts. And establishing them is very conducive to the Flemish solution, which at every stage weaves in an element of social consultation, field queries, surveys, research, discussions and so on.
© APA Jacek Bulat
In the case of the Lazarski Market, we are talking about a specific amount of public investment - 43 million zlotys. Inaccurate research could end up with more than just badly spent money. The market is a socially and economically important space for the Lazarus district. Jakub Glaz, an architecture critic, columnist, and animator of spatial activities associated with Poznań, perversely comments on the Poznań mentality:
"Poznań is quite 'cautious' in its decisions. Sometimes, however, Poznań residents transcend their traditional tastes to prove to themselves and to visitors that they can afford a more contemporary approach. Lazarski Market is one of the central squares that the historic districts annexed to Poznan in 1900 are equipped with. In addition to Lazarski are the Jeżycki and Wildecki markets. For years it has been of local importance, both as a marketplace and as a meeting place for residents. Its restoration is a kind of fitting for APA Jacek Bulat's revitalization efforts in the so-called Lower Lazarus area, i.e. the area between the railroad tracks and Glogowska Street.
organization of pedestrian traffic
pic: © APA Jacek Bułat
So how did it come about that it was possible to import the Flemish way of competition work to Poznan? The decisive factor was - and how! - the human factor, that is, the grassroots work of UM officials inspired by information from Dawid Strębicki and Jolanta Starzak. The first step was to embed the competition in Polish law. European regulations leave flexible room for constructing public procurement rules, and this was the starting point for Poznan City Hall. Weronika Sińska-Mikuła, head of the Downtown Projects Division, puts it this way:
Due to the innovative nature of the planned procedure - similar implementations had never been used in Poland at the time - legal consultations related to adapting this non-standard competition method to Polish legal conditions were carried out throughout the first and second quarters of 2016. Together with a lawyer and consultants (Dawid Strębicki and Jolanta Starzak), we conducted work on its implementation. In the office, long discussions began on how to embed the Flemish method in Polish regulations. There were various interpretations of the Public Procurement Act, with an emphasis on the most conservative option that prevented innovation. However, we were convinced that since the process could function with positive results in Belgium - which has the same EU law - it should also work in Poland. In the end, it took us ten months to prepare the regulations, with the help of external legal advisors. Another three months were spent developing detailed guidelines.
As a result of these findings, it turned out that the best way to implement open call would be a two-stage competition, already included in Polish public procurement law. Weronika Sińska-Mikuła also mentions that the biggest concern was the anonymity of the entrants (decoding the works between the first and second stages of the competition and publishing the names of the studios qualified for the second stage). In the first stage, twenty-three studios were invited to submit their portfolios and general solutions for the Lazarski Market space, based on their applications. The jury selected five studios: Basis, Biuro Projektów Lewicki Łatak, Aleksandra Wasilkowska's studio, Jacek Bulat's studio and Maciej Siuda's studio along with landscape architect Marta Tomasiak. At the second stage, each team prepared a more detailed design, for which they were paid 14 thousand zlotys. Three proposals were awarded: the third place and 8 thousand zlotys were awarded to the Basis studio, the second place and 10 thousand zlotys went to the Lewicki Łatak Design Bureau, and the first place and 15 thousand zlotys went to APA Jacek Bułat.
Lazarski Market is a marketplace, so it was necessary to work out common solutions for its renewal in consultation with many groups; the space is to fulfill several functions and needs that will evolve over many years after the construction of the
vision: © APA JAcek Bułat
Parallel to the preparation of the competition regulations, extensive public consultations were held. Commissioned by the Poznań City Hall, they were conducted by a team from the Center for Metropolitan Research at the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, led by Prof. Dr. Piotr Jankowski. At the second stage of the competition, before any studio made the first dash for the final design, further consultations took place, composed of the finalists, the City Hall and residents and merchants. Additional local inspections and meetings with users of the market space were conducted.
Today, the most spectacular part of the new market area 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 sqm, the small one is 492 sqm). Artistically, the effect is intriguing and visually calms the irregular space of the square. But the revitalization of the space 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 distinctive and well-ordered space. Now we need to see how it will function when the market returns. Will the traders be comfortable there? Have we created the right conditions for them? - wonders Piotr Libicki, the mayor's plenipotentiary for City Aesthetics, deputy director for Public Space, and adds: I want to emphasize that we have put a very strong emphasis on precisely defining at the very beginning what is to be the subject of the urban concept, and this is usually a shortcoming of traditional competitions. Lazarski Market is a marketplace, and we had to work out common solutions with many groups. At the stage of formulating the guidelines, we hired professionals: architects Dawid Strębicki and Jolanta Starzak. In this way we masterminded the definition of all functions, their participation in the space, road layouts and so on. We wanted the architects entering the competition to have as little doubt as possible about what we had in mind.
vision: © APA Jacek Bulat
Looking at the realization, this reflection comes to mind: isn't it the case that the Flemish formula not only facilitates the work from the organizational side, but also really affects the quality of architecture? Jakub Glaz has a clear position on this subject:
The Flemish formula has certainly had a positive impact on the quality of this project. One factor is the more thoroughly prepared conditions of the competition based on in-depth research, analysis and workshops before the first stage. It is difficult to judge whether such a form would have won in a normal competition, but one thing can be certain: the jury's thinking was deeper, as they evaluated only five, not a dozen or more works of varying quality and form of presentation. And - they had a lot to choose from. This is because the open call and two-stage situation gives the comfort of an in-depth look at the projects, which, as is well known, is difficult to come by in traditional architectural competitions. Here the sifting takes place in the first, partially open stage, based on descriptions and (or) preliminary sketches, among other things. And one more important point: it has not happened in any of the Poznań Flemish formula competitions that the finals have included works of mediocre quality or simply bad ones.
So perhaps it is that the Flemish method transparently demonstrates what has always been known: that architecture is only as "good" as the "good" people behind it, or more specifically, how effectively they know how to communicate with each other. Should this way of conducting procurement for the realization of public spaces then be the standard? Is this the way to stoke healthy competition among architects?
We will have a test next year - when the market and all the functions of the square return. If the errors and imperfections are at the level of 5 percent, I will consider the experiment a success," concludes Piotr Libicki.
