Does the Vistula as a river fulfill city-forming functions in Warsaw today? How should we adapt water areas in cities to accommodate the needs of residents? This issue is what Cezary Kępka tried to address in his sophomore thesis.
idea
"The potential of floating architecture in the development of waterfronts in large cities. The design of a recreational swimming pool with a passenger marina on the Vistula River in Warsaw" is the subject of the second degree thesis of Cezary Kępka, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology. The author's diploma received an honorable mention in the "Zbyszek Zawistowski's Diploma of the Year of the Warsaw Branch of SARP " competition for his master's thesis.
visualization of the swimming pool cross-section
© Cezary Kępka
Before starting the design work, Cezary Kępka conducted research on how the development of floating swimming pools looked like since the 18th century. First of all, the author conducted a thorough analysis of modern floating pools, from those that have been converted to swimming pools to those built from scratch.
The design phase was preceded by a search for a site where a new recreational swimming pool should be located. The author decided on the waterfront at the level of the Czerniakowski Headland - due to the designation of this place as one of several locations for such a facility by the Warsaw local government. The site is well connected to other parts of the city - it can be reached by bicycle, on foot or by public transportation. The area of the Headland is protected under the Natura 2000 program. A swimming pool located in the river current would complement the functional program postulated by the local study for the area.
Swimming pool
At the core of Cezary Kępka's idea is the need for human contact with nature, by which, of course, also with water. For the author, it was also important to restore the lost opportunity to spend time actively near water areas. The design concept envisages the construction of two pools: a flow-through and a separate one. The facility would also include a part with a wellness function - wellness consisting of saunas, smaller pools for cooling down, space for relaxation or whirlpool baths.
visualization of the swimming pool
© Cezary Kępka
A water streetcar could be moored to the swimming pool, which, running across the Vistula River, would help transport users to the facility. In addition, there would be a catering and leisure area.
In designing the project, the author tried to refer to the now-defunct facilities of sports centers that were located on the Vistula River. The modernist architecture of the buildings of the Syrena Club, the headquarters of the Polish Yacht Club or the Police Sports Club. The recreational swimming pool was designed as a two-story pavilion, placed on the surface of a floating pontoon. The pontoons form the basis of both facilities. Their size was limited by the size of the locks and chambers.
Cezary Kępka, the author, will talk about the project itself.
Wiktor Bochenek: Where did the idea to design a recreational swimming pool with a marina come from?
Cezary Kępka: My attention was drawn to the fact that after the revitalization of the Vistula River boulevards, the city's residents crowded back to the river. The thesis is an attempt to prove that a return to the river is also possible. In the past it was a place for mass recreation and water sports - I think it is worth restoring the Vistula to its rightful place in the urban landscape. The easiest way to use this natural resource is swimming, hence the idea to design an "apparatus for using" it, adapted to Warsaw conditions and navigational restrictions.
visualization of the wellness section
© Cezary Kępka
Wiktor Bochenek: What determined the location in your project?
Cezary Kępka: This is one of the locations proposed by the city for such a facility - there are a lot of sports facilities in the area of the Czerniakowski Headland - including the Warsaw Rowing Society, canoe clubs, the city's motorboat marina, tennis courts, beach volleyball courts.... At the same time, the place is well connected with the city - the mooring of the pool is the beginning of the Vistula boulevards. There is also a concrete wharf here, which allows safe mooring and access. It is a place on the border of the city and the natural, "wild" Vistula waterfront.
reception
© Cezary Kępka
Wiktor Bochenek: What was the architectural form meant to refer to?
Cezary Kępka: In the architectural assumptions, I assumed that I did not want to design the building in the form of a "ship's superstructure", so it was natural to turn to the language of architecture found on the mainland. Significant inspiration came from examples of wooden Swiss architecture, particularly bathing and recreational facilities - not only those designed today, but also those that have been in continuous operation for decades. Another local, Warsaw-based clue was the now defunct buildings of the Vistula River sports clubs. The proposed horizontal form of the building is characterized by a rhythm of visible structural divisions and a clear axiality of the mass composition. I would like it to be a nod to classical composition and modernism, but built with contemporary means and refined architectural detail.
cross sections of the swimming pool
© Cezary Kępka
Wiktor Bochenek: What materials would be applicable to a swimming pool on water? What should you have paid attention to?
Cezary Kepka: From the beginning, I assumed that the building material should be wood - a material that I associate with recreation and relaxation on the water. I have in mind both a deck for sunbathing on a hot summer day, as well as the interior of a Finnish sauna in the middle of winter. It is also a durable and weather-resistant material, the properties of which can be further improved by thermal processes (thermo-wood) or the Japanese wood-burning technique Shou Sugi Ban. Not without significance is the possibility of easy repair and maintenance of elements, as well as the ecological aspect of wooden structures. The production of this renewable raw material is associated with lower emissions and energy inputs.
visualization of the swimming pool detail
© Cezary Kępka
Wiktor Bochenek: How does the design of a swimming pool differ from other facilities? What should you pay attention to?
Cezary Kępka: Swimming is a popular form of recreation, practiced by people from a wide range of categories: age, physical fitness, skills or needs. For this reason, it seems important to me to adapt the function in such a way that it meets the various needs of users in the widest possible way. In the case of an open swimming pool on the riverfront, I also wanted to find an answer to the problem of year-round operation of such a facility, so the functional program was supplemented with wellness and sauna facilities. In addition, the swimming facility should meet the necessary utility and sanitary conditions, related to the need for changing or hygiene.
Wiktor Bochenek: Can the swimming pool designed by you, as well as swimming pools in general, perform city-forming functions?
Cezary Kępka: Certainly! By creating a facility for public recreation, such as an open swimming pool, we invite people to use and co-create this space. By allowing a certain freedom of use, we get a kind of public space - an urban agora, where residents have the opportunity to express themselves and make connections. In the case of a swimming pool designed in such an unusual location, this aspect gains additional value - I think that the phenomenon of the river being within arm's (or leg's) reach further helps bring people together.
Wiktor Bochenek: Thank you for the interview!
