Sara Malicka's diploma titled. "Project of urban revalorization of Piast Square in Gliwice," carried out under the direction of Dr. Alina Pancewicz at the Silesian University of Technology, received the 2019 Award of the Silesian branch of the Society of Polish Urban Planners.
The subject of the work was the revaluation of Gliwice's Piastów Square (located in close proximity to the railway station and the Forum Shopping Center), currently serving as the city's largest interchange. The study area includes the square and adjacent residential and service areas.
spatial chaos
Dominated by automobile traffic, the space has lost its function as an urban square. The author noted that the area lacks safe places for pedestrians. Only small islands of land have been designated for them, crisscrossed by wide and busy streets and intersections. There is spatial chaos throughout the area. The lack of continuity of frontages is apparent, and the development is largely disorderly. In a word - change is needed.
Visualization of space - revalorization of the areas surrounding Piast Square
© Sara Malicka
restoring the square to residents
Based on urban planning analyses, Sara Malicka proposed restoring the Piast Square to its representative function with an emphasis on ecological solutions. In this way, it will become a safe space for people - accessible, functional and adapted to changing climatic conditions. The goal of the thesis is also to revalorize the areas surrounding Piast Square, including: improving the functionality and quality of the space, supplementing buildings, adding new functions, clearly dividing it into public and semi-public zones, and organizing the urban composition.
changes in traffic
The project involves changes in traffic organization, character and use of the area. After the relocation of automobile traffic (the project assumes the transformation of Fr. Herbert Hlubek Street into a two-way road), the space of Okopowa Street, the entire Piast Square and the part of Piwna Street diverging from it will become a zone intended for pedestrians and cyclists, sheltered by tree rows. Public transportation will be diverted to a separate lane, and a bicycle path will be created along the main streets.
One of the new buildings on Piast Square
© Sara Malicka
New buildings and urban greenery
The author envisages the construction of new apartments and commercial premises, as well as the development of the area for urban greenery. In order to organize the urban composition, some buildings (abandoned, with poor technical condition) will be demolished.
Changes in development space and new buildings
© Sara Malicka
The planned new development will also include urban infill, which will preserve the continuity of the frontage. New green and existing residential buildings will have green roofs designed to increase biodiversity. The plazas created after the entire area is cleaned up will be transformed into city parks, green squares, rain gardens and natural playgrounds. To promote water retention, most of the pavement will be made of water-permeable materials.
With her diploma, Sara Malicka is restoring Piast Square to the residents of Gliwice, all in the ecological spirit of sustainable development.
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illustrations courtesy of Sara Malicka
