Full of new blocks of flats, the city's largest shopping mall and no local integration center. This is what Poznan's Łacina, a section of the Rataje district , looks like. The situation wants to fix... a priest known for his unconventional ideas. He does not intend to build a typical church, but a multifunctional social and cultural center.
Łacina and neighboring Polanka, although located on the outskirts of downtown and close to the Old Town, have only been developed in the last two decades. This is because during the construction of modernist housing developments in the 1970s and 1980s, they constituted a land reserve for a large district center with trade, services and cultural facilities.
However, the plans remained on paper, and the very attractively located area was allocated mainly for residential development (for more on Latin and Polanka, see the March paper issue of A&B in an article on Poznan residential architecture). A significant part of the site was occupied in 2016 by Posnania shopping center - the largest in the city. Unfortunately, however, the local development plans do not provide space for a local cultural center or school. There is only a reserve for "sacred service development" - so far unrealized.
Polanka and Łacina in Poznań, new housing estates without an integration center - area between the streetcar route (right) and Sobczaka Street (left); in the foreground, space for "sacred service", in the background - space for a park
Photo: Jakub Głaz
college and chapel in store
For more than a year, therefore, the Latina faithful have been practicing elsewhere. The location is unique. It is... the service first floor of one of the new developer's blocks of flats on Niemen Street converted into a chapel of the Name of Jesus by Father Radek Rakowski, who in this way successfully realized his intention of two years ago(we described it in June 2022). Rakowski is known in Poznan for his unusual (for the Polish Church) approach to his vocation. Contactable, open and direct - he has attracted a lot of people in previous Poznań parishes. In Winiary he established the "Koleżankium " - a very unusual female dormitory with a Christian character (it can be seen in the film series Domokrążcy).
Polanka and Łacina in Poznań, new housing estates without an integration center - the window of the chapel of the Name of Jesus at 5 Niemen Street (entrance from Sobczak Street)
photo: Jakub Głaz
A new parish has been delegated to Polanka, inhabited by young people, to establish a new parish and - eventually - build a church. For the time being, however, in view of the great interest of residents, a block chapel is growing, now enlarged by a neighboring one-story unit. The chapel, by the way, does not resemble a typical sacred space, but rather a friendly club. But what about the temple? The priest has an unusual idea. He wants it to be just part of a larger complex with a social and cultural function. The facility would includemeeting rooms, a multi-generational center, a nursery or kindergarten, a theater stage, a canteen with coworking space, a dormitory for students from Africa or Asia, among others. Rev. Rakowski explains:
We are in the 21st century and the religious and social needs of the residents are already different. Traditional churches are plentiful in Poznan. And, importantly, they stand empty and closed for most of the day. This does not make sense. The interior should be shaped flexibly, depending on the needs; it has to live all day. That's why I've already teamed up with architects, engineers and architecture students to provide the best functional ideas, but also, for example, related to renewable energy.
two semesters of reflection
The collaboration has already had its first stage. It involved architect and lecturer Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb at the Faculty of Architecture at the Poznan University of Technology, and the penultimate semester graduate students led by him.
We approached the topic of a social and cultural center in Latin with the students twice. A year ago, still without the participation of Father Rakowski. This year - based on the functional program he presented . Roughly speaking, the functions were divided into three parts: a chapel with a rectory, a multigenerational center and a dormitory. The goal of the class was to grapple with a complex service facility in a rather amorphous and uneasy shaped space encompassing the site for the church and an adjacent hectare plot of land for public space.
An excerpt from a presentation summarizing the semester work of WA PP students under the direction of Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb - a program of a multifunctional center combined with sacred space
Source: Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb / Poznan University of Technology
So where would the atypical center stand? The area earmarked in the mpzp for a church occupies the central place of Łacina and Polanka, next to the stop of the streetcar line (the so-called Kórnik route) running through the middle of the area (it underwent a general reconstruction last year).
An excerpt from a presentation summarizing the semester work of WA PP students under the direction of Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb - situation
Source: Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb / Poznan University of Technology
Today it's an empty space full of mud. The area on its western side between the streetcar tracks and Sobchaka Street, a reserve for public space, looks similar. Last year a decision was made that a park was to be built in this part . Father Rakowski is also the originator and co-initiator of its construction.
Excerpt from the presentation summarizing the semester work of WA PP students under the direction of Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb - semester project board, authored by B. Dorosz
Source: Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb / Poznan University of Technology
students once again
A month ago the City launched a student competition for the design of the park. It is addressed to students of the Magdalena Abakanowicz University of Arts, Adam Mickiewicz University, the University of Life Sciences and Poznan University of Technology. The prize pool is 20 thousand zlotys. On its website, the City of Poznań informs that the purpose of the competition is to
to create a concept for the development of a spacethat clearly emphasizes greenery and ecology, with a large share of permeable surfaces. The place is to encourage meetings and integration. Participants in the competition should also take into account the planned location of the Pastoral Center and the results of public consultations.
Extensive consultations were held last year and, as you can easily guess, residents spoke favorably about the idea of a park. After all, there is far too little greenery and places of rest among the new blocks. It is worth mentioning, however, that next to the area covered by the competition there is also an extensive Osiecka square, intended for greenery - so far unmanaged. The competition is open until March 29, and the results will be known in June. The students' ideas are to be the basis for future designers of this space.
A fragment of the presentation summarizing the semester's work of WA PP students under the direction of Dr. Tomasz Jastrząb - photos from the design workshop
Source: dr Tomasz Jastrząb / Poznan University of Technology
A priest alright, but a church?
However, let's return to Rev. Rakowski's idea. The key issue in this case is land ownership. Rakowski is counting on the City to donate the bulk of the half-hectare site for religious services (30 percent already belongs to the Church) for construction. For now, talks on the matter are ongoing between the Curia and the City. And how, regardless of these activities, can one evaluate the priest's idea? On the one hand, the idea is very sensible. A multifunctional center is capable of filling the gap created by the City's planning omissions. A center integrating the residents of the new numerous buildings will certainly come in handy, because - for obvious reasons - such a function should not, after all, be performed by the interiors of the neighboring shopping mall. And it is there, for example, that young people from the neighborhood and neighboring districts meet.
Polanka and Łacina in Poznań, new housing estates without an integration center - a place for a park, view from the west, on the right you can see a block of flats with a chapel on the first floor
Photo: Jakub Głaz
On the other hand, the venture should be approached with detachment. As long as the parish is managed by Father Rakowski, one can rest assured that his inclusive approach will be valid. The institution of the Church usually manages its assets differently, without asking the opinion of the faithful and the local community. So is there any way to guarantee that, regardless of the pastor, the multipurpose center on the plot of land acquired from the City will maintain its character? When asked about this, Father Rakowski frankly admits that there is no such guarantee. Much, therefore, depends on the details of the negotiations between the Curia and City Hall, which should guarantee its influence on the program and use of the multipurpose center.
