Poznań is consistently tearing up the asphalt and paving of overly wide roadways to turn them into friendly green spaces. Next year an important intersection in the city center will see a beneficial transformation . It's just a pity that a place with the potential for a large attractive square is being transformed in fragments and over a long period of time.
We showed a portion of the favorable changes that took place in Poznan after the asphalt and cobblestones were torn up this summer. Now we present a plan for the transformation of an important place in the very center at the intersection of Kosciuszko, Taczak and Taylor streets. It is, by the way, rather than an intersection, but a polygonal square of considerable size. In fact, it is the Poznan version of the so-called Five Corners Square in Warsaw. And that's literally true. There are really five corners, but - unfortunately - unlike in the capital, the space - divided by roadways into several parts - is transformed piece by piece and at large intervals.
The intersection of Taczak, Kosciuszko and Taylor Streets in Poznan, with the pentagon of the square marked in pink, illustrative zoning: 1. Cieślewicz Square developed in 2014-19;
2. the space covered by the concept of changes planned for 2025;
3. the area after the gas station
Map source: openstreetmap.org, compiled by Jakub Głaz
And although the eastern, already redeveloped part (number 1 on the plan) is customarily referred to as Academic Square (the University of Economics is located next to it, and the Merito School of Banking is nearby), the entire space is not seen as a square. The reason? Probably the division into several enclaves of a completely different nature has become so entrenched in the minds . The memory of the gas station that stood here until the first decade of this century (in the southwestern part marked with number 3 on the plan above) is probably also alive. Its removal gave hope for a comprehensive approach to this space. However, it happened otherwise.
The triangle at Taczaka
The changes began a decade ago. The triangular and deserted wedge between Taczaka and Kosciuszko Streets (number 1 on the plan) was turned into a square with trees, although not immediately in the target shape. First, in 2014, very young trees were planted on a completely paved surface. Five years later, during the reconstruction of Taczak Street (according to a 2014 competition design by the Szczecin-based ARCHAID studio), some of the concrete was removed. Already mature trees now grow in larger "unpaved" circles, benches stand around them, and there is low greenery. The place has a friendly character and is singled out as Wojciech Cieslewicz's square.
In 2020, in a wave of pandemic-accelerated traffic calming in the city, the scaled-down carriageways of the streets intersecting here were heavily narrowed (with the exception of Taczak, which was narrowed a year earlier). Bicycle contraflow lanes were introduced . Extensive stretches of asphalt were fenced off with posts and given back to pedestrians. It became quieter and safer, but - that's all. Only now, after quite a long arrangement between city units and departments, did we learn about the project to turn the faded asphalt into a full-fledged public space.
The intersection of Taczak, Kosciuszko and Taylor streets in Poznan - the current state after the reduction of scaled roadways in 2020
source: www.poznan.pl
a dozen new trees
The city has just shown preview visualizations of the "project for the reconstruction of the intersection of Edward Taylor and Tadeusz Kosciuszko Streets with road infrastructure," which was created by Poznan-based Front Architects. The difference between the current and planned state is significant and promises to be very favorable. The description on the City's official website reads:
The sprawling intersection will be reconstructed to ensure efficient passage of vehicles, safe movement of pedestrians and to set aside biologically active areas for new trees and shrubs. Greenery will appear at all inlets of the intersection and along Taylor Street, in the section reaching the intersection with Kosciuszko Street. Twelve trees will be planted (including plane trees and ginkgo trees), shrubs - almost 150 roses, hydrangeas and David's budleys, and more than 300 perennials (including catnip, perovskia, Chinese miscanthus) and bulbous plants (ornamental garlic and hyacinths). The intersection itself will be elevated to calm traffic and ensure the safety of pedestrians crossing the road.
Intersection of Taczak, Kosciuszko and Taylor streets in Poznan, concept of changes
Source: www.poznan.pl, visualization as designed by Front Architects
The works are expected to start next year. Their cost is estimated at 3 million zlotys. The city also informs that a rest area will be created at Taylora Street, whose form is to refer to the Cieślewicz square already described here. And, indeed, on the visualizations we see a bench integrated into the low greenery. Compared to the square , however, this is not much. This is due to the fact that the project does not include the area after the gas station. Admittedly, it is a green space today and does not require significant interventions, but it deserves to be functionally included in the square space. However, the city has not yet (!) settled ownership issues.
Therefore, one has to wait for the benches and ponds, which were proposed in the preliminary concept (not shown in the visualizations) by designers from Front Architects. It is worth mentioning that only for the small area after the station a local zoning plan was passed in 2016. On the surface, the planners envisaged greenery, but allowed for the possibility of building an underground parking lot underneath. However, the realization of this idea is currently postponed ad acta.
The intersection of Taczaka, Kosciuszko and Taylora streets in Poznan, MPZP for the area after the gas station between the PKP management building and Taylora and Kosciuszko streets
Source: www.poznan.pl
It would therefore be worthwhile to update the provisions of the plan and trigger work on plans for the neighboring neighborhoods. After all, downtown Poznań is almost a white spot on the city's planning map. It would also be great if PKP finally restored the first railroad management building from 1874 - a highly exposed corner building adjacent to Cieślewicz Square (currently the management is housed in a later building from 1916 located opposite, by the site of a gas station).
not only the center
While waiting for the transformation of another part of the "Academic Square" (it may be worth introducing this name officially for the entire pentagon), Poznań residents will soon get another space transformed in a similar spirit. In the Jeżyce district, the hitherto unpleasant intersection of Gajowa, Sienkiewicza, Kochanowskiego and Reja streets is currently undergoing reconstruction.
Sienkiewicza Street at the intersection with Gajowa Street (top) and Kochanowskiego Street (bottom) - existing condition until August 2024
Source: Zarząd Dróg Miejskich Poznań, www.zdm.poznan.pl.
Reconstruction of Sienkiewicza street in Poznań between Reja and Kochanowskiego streets
source: FB / Jeżyce Housing Estate Council
Work on a one-hundred-meter section of Sienkiewicza Street has been underway since August and is expected to be completed in mid-November. In this way, Jeżyce will gain another friendly square, after the spaces on Długosz and Norwida streets presented by us in the summer.
