Theatrical walkway in the shadow of blocks

Kacper Kępiński

24 of May '23

Building visualization

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A nine-story massive block and in its shadow a theatrical avenue. This is the future for the post-industrial plot in Warsaw's Praga Południe district, as seen by Moderna Holding investors and moderna design architects working for them. Will the investment stir up similar controversy to the planned development of the Peruna site?

The planned development is being carried out under the provisions of the housing speculation law. The investor has just submitted an application in this regard to the Warsaw City Hall. The new building would stand near the busy intersection of Jana Zamoyskiego Street and Zieleniecka Avenue. It would occupy an area between the Powszechny Theater and the buildings of the E. Wedel factory. The site of the planned investment formerly served as a production area for the E. Wedel chocolate factory.

axonometry

Maintaining this type of function for the investment area was envisaged by the 2010 zoning plan for the East Railway Station area in force at the site. The purpose of the plot, on which the investor wants to erect apartments, has so far been services, commerce, offices and production. It also allows the preservation of multi-family housing as the primary function. The maximum height of the development has been set at 25 meters, and the minimum at 10 meters. The planned blocks are to reach 37 meters.

elevation of the complex

Two volumes have been designed as part of the project. Under them would be a common garage hall with three levels. The large volume in a north-south arrangement is to be complemented by three wings oriented in an east-west direction. A smaller block will enclose the compositional quarter of the development on the south side. The entire development is to be diversified in height: from seven to ten stories. On the first floor, service premises of varying sizes have been designed. According to the investor's preliminary estimates, a minimum of 270 and a maximum of 282 apartments may be built as part of the project, which would allow 546 people to live there.

visualization of the arcade

Although the investment is planned in a currently built-up and gated area, its intensity and the planned number of apartments and parking spaces may raise concerns among residents. Local associations already have experience fighting over the shape of the development in the area of the Perun factory, located a few hundred meters away, where the investor planned to build, as residents and experts assessed, an overly intensive investment. The project was modified three times. Whether similar objections will be raised by the Moderna project will become clear in the coming weeks. The part of the project that is supposed to offer the local community something „in return” for violating the provisions of the local plan is a walkway between the theater and the planned buildings. The designers envision it to become a partially green space connecting the park with a nearby transfer point.