The concept of the creative city developed by Charles Landry and Franco Bianchini dates back to the last decade of the 20th century. The vision of the creative city as another component of the development of modern urban centers is as relevant today as it was almost thirty years ago. Krakow wants to reinforce a similar direction, including by establishing a Design Pharmacy.
Krakow's Wesoła district remains a constant topic of debate because of the opportunities the city received after purchasing part of the University Hospital buildings. Very rarely do large cities the size of the capital of Malopolska have the chance to redevelop a new neighborhood in their center.
The redevelopment of Wesola was one of the main themes of the 2021 International Architecture Biennale. Interdisciplinary workshops composed of specialists in architecture, culture, art or politics created a concept for developing Wesoła. In addition to many ideas, one of them was to create a place for designers and artists in Wesola - the realization in some aspect of the creative city concept. Today we can see the first steps in this direction.
ThePharmacy of Design is to be the beginning of Wesoła's transformation into a creative district
photo: K. Kukiełka
a place for art and design
On Kopernika Street, just behind the "Red Surgery" building, there was a pharmacy for many years. After its closure, the abandoned building only frightened the residents and residents of Krakow who walked by it. On September 26 this year, the Pharmacy of Design, which is a project of the Krakow Festival Office, was officially opened.
The pharmacy is intended to be a place for integration of the design community and artists. The walls of the former pharmacy provide space for work, in the form of coworking and individual workstations, as well as a small conference space, a place for prototyping projects and a reading room (where you'll find A&B magazine, of course). The willingness to cooperate here has already been expressed by the ASP's research clubs, and the Toy Museum, which will occupy part of the pharmacy's space.The pharmacy announced a competition in August to participate in the studio and co-working program - artists working at the intersection of activism and design, as well as product and service designers, will find their place here. The designers are expected to activate the merry as part of their work.
On site you will find work spaces, reading rooms, as well as a conference venue
photo by K. Kukielka
direction creativity
The opening of the pharmacy should be considered the beginning of the road to Wesoła's metamorphosis from a neighborhood associated mainly with illnesses into a creative part of the city, with studios, artists and a rich offer of cultural events. The Design Pharmacy has already prepared a program for the next two months, and this is just the beginning of the tasks that are to change the face of the district.
