Vision
Equally long, since the very birth, the victim was accompanied by another defendant. If only for this reason, any experienced investigator should turn his suspicions towards her. She is a brilliant, revolutionary and forward-thinking figure. Her task was precisely
[...] to economically and socially revitalize the downtown area of the city, to create a new, functional city center with many public spaces, and to transform Lodz into an attractive metropolis - through interesting architecture, attractive cultural events, a variety of services and transportation accessibility1.
The presented protagonist is certainly familiar to most of you.
From the very beginning, thevision boldly presented the assumptions of what was to attract, educate, fame and life. Aside from the multimodal hub, the rest was frequently and eagerly displayed. Visualizations of the high-profile and grand designs for the Festival and Convention Center, the Special Art Zone and the City Gate made headlines. Subsequent models of the entire quarter's redevelopment project filled informational brochures. Images of the renovated historic thermal power plant could be found in special press supplements. Views of daily meeting places and culturally vibrant rendered streets assaulted social media users. It was everywhere. The vision did not leave the victim's side and fed the city with hope, the demand for which is never satisfied.
Exhibition - City Gate open to the people
photo: Adam Miziołek
The number of incoming concepts and visualizations was so huge that it did not go unnoticed. Residents became more and more enthusiastic about the ambitious plans, quite far from the everyday urban views. The energy and desire were heightened by the bid for the title of European Capital of Culture and the apparent first changes in infrastructure. The suspect was even initially able to successfully conceal looming problems with the implementation of the outlined program. Unfortunately, the finale turned out to be tragic in its consequences. At a moment that was difficult to estimate, because it was different for everyone, the curtain fell. What was left of the illusion of the "center of Europe "2 was almost exclusively color publications. When plans diverged too far from reality, the exhilarated residents turned into disillusioned residents.
Deadline after deadline, changes in the quarter's development plan, cancellations of flagship cultural projects, and the withdrawal of people and events key to the program caused the media atmosphere to deteriorate. Expectations, so warmed by the beautiful Vision, remained unfulfilled. Residents lost confidence to the point that it was not easy to find someone on the street who believed that at least a new station building would be built. Even if its construction was already underway a few hundred meters away! The fiery enthusiasm died down, and the public began to be more cautious about the idea of a New Center; to distance themselves. Since the city has no right to live without the participation of residents, it is worth asking whether it was the visuals that killed the Quarter. Was it deliberately led to the fatal poisoning of images? Did the city, stunned by the beauty and elusiveness of the Vision, fall under its weight, or should the murderer be sought elsewhere?
