Ulrich Gardens

INVESTMENT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT: PUBLIC SPACE

INVESTOR: INGKA CENTRES POLSKA

LOCATION: WARSAW, POLAND

ARCHITECTS: SZCZEPAN WROŃSKI, MARTA SĘKULSKA-WROŃSKA, MONIKA LEMAŃSKA, JAN KUCZA-KUCZYŃSKI, MIKOŁAJ NIEWĘGŁOWSKI, ADRIANNA BAŃCZEROWSKA, KATARZYNA DUDEK, MICHAŁ KRAWCZYŃSKI, PAULINA PERNAK, EWELINA SZELĄG

 AWARDS: 1st PRIZE IN INVESTMENT COMPETITION ORGANIZED BY INGKA CENTRES POLSKA

 

Ulrich Gardens – meeting place

It is 1878 and the electricity is yet an invention to come, when Ulrich family builds innovative greenhouses to grow exotic plants and pineapples. Soon this place will be revived and become an attractive destination for meetings, joint cultural events and entertainment.

Coherent space

A comprehensive revitalisation of the place will turn two parks – the historic one and the post-war one – into a one, integrated, green space with a square and a walkway. The renewal of the historic park will consist in increasing the amount of greenery (small and middle-size shrubs), adding on modern park furniture inspired by the 19th century forms, and restoring the pergola and the gazebo. The entire space arrangement is meant to encourage to relax and contemplate the historic greenery. The modern part of the park on the eastern side, will become an educational and recreational nature space. One will find there among others: a jumping pillow, textured paths to walk barefoot, a gazebo with sounds, trampolines. A direct reference to the history of the place will be the community garden designed as open to the public.

Vibrant square all year round

The core part of the park’s public space is a walkway leading from Górczewska Street to Wola Park Shopping Centre, and connecting smoothly with the square in front of the greenhouses. Concerts, exhibitions, open-air cinema screenings, performances, dancing events, breakfast markets – all this will find its place here. An ice-rink will also be available. On hot days, one will be able to cool down by a play fountain that will surprise with variously sequenced water jets and light effects. Furthermore, water nozzles will be installed under the fruit trees, to create an effect of a misty orchard.

New look for historic greenhouses

Greenhouses will be extended upwards whilst retaining their original structure consisting of two above-ground parts linked underground by a brick structure. Forms of the greenhouses’ buildings will be reconstructed, maintaining the directions and pitches of the roofs, and at the same time the roofs will be elevated at ground level to a height of approximately 7 m above ground. The restoration will include also the elements of white metalwork as well as glassworks supported by the reinforced steel frame structure. The greenhouses will be adapted for catering purposes – and one will find there intimate cafés and restaurants as well as an exotic orangery.

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