Final of the “Visual Enhancement of the Port of Gdansk” competition

08.07.2014

On 7 July 2014, at the Westerplatte Ferry Terminal, the Port of Gdansk Authority solemnly announced the results of the "Visual Enhancement of the Port of Gdansk" competition. The key objective of the project launched by the PGA SA was to provide a cohesive conceptual design of the aesthetic development of an area stretching along the port canal, including the orderly reorganisation of the existing buildings and industrial facilities, as well as providing the local residents and tourists with an access to green areas and historic buildings currently not utilized for port operations. As a result, the port facility, which is deeply rooted in the city structure, will become a show case of Gdansk and its thousand years of history.

The idea raised interest among both the city government and the authorities of local universities. Further details regarding the project development are available on the port's website www.portgdansk.pl/visual-enhancement. The memorandum of understanding - also called the Partnership Agreement - was signed in June and enabled students to participate in the project. Inspired by the idea, they set up 14 teams and started their designing work. The Competition Board composed of the signatories to the Agreement had to face a demanding task. Each of the conceptual designs entered into the competition presented interesting and valuable components greatly contributing to the cultural value enhancement of the port grounds. Eventually, the Competition Board decided to award two equivalent Main Prizes to the designing teams of students representing the Gdansk University of Technology, including:

• Anna Czapiewska, Robert Kowalczyk and Wiktor Magdziak - for the "Modular System of Pre Fabricated Elements" - in recognition of the simply-considered and diligent engineering approach combining aesthetic sensibility and wide-ranging, versatile practical solutions applied to remodeling and construction of port quays;
  
• Julia Duch, Ewelina Jaszkowska and Ewa Marczewska - for the "Port Rhytm - Water and Wind" design - in recognition of the intellectual effort at the consistent justification of utilizing wind and water power naturally available at the port as a drive for plant and kinetic sculptures, for the idea of introducing regularly organized artistic events to the port grounds and for a comprehensive approach to the goal of enhancing the port image.
  

Additionally, the Competition Board decided to award four equivalent honorable mentions to:

• Designing team of students representing the Sopot University of Applied Science including: Anna Brzoznowska, Natalia Dobosz, Agnieszka Gabrel and Maria Kolomanska - for the idea of introducing a new element of dynamics into the port landscape with the intention of calming down and unifying port architecture using movable blinds, illuminations and fountains;
  
• Designing team of students representing the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk including: Marta Bzdel and Lucja Pawlicka - for the simplicity and economic usefulness of the method of "hiding though highlighting" using colour and smoke, for the idea of placing a blue filter on the selected elements of port infrastructure and for the graphic design of the fish hall in the Port Free Zone;
  
• Designing team of students representing the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk including: Marcin Kasprowicz, Marta Klos and Agnieszka Smigielska - for the conceptual design of port spaces with an inspiring colourful mirror and light curtains, for introducing dancing fountains and water organs and for the idea of providing floating structures of recreational purpose;
  
• Designing team of students representing the Gdansk University of Technology including: Aleksandra Cywoniuk, Paulina Kowalik, Piotr Kurpiewski, Joanna Muczynska, Pawel Nalewajski and Anna Narkowicz - for the idea of applying optic illusion in the perspective of the port landscape and for the idea of utilizing materials of interesting texture and colour, thus successfully introducing new aesthetic values into the port image with little intervention on the part of the investor.
  

In its concluding statement, the Competition Board emphasized the high level of the entered designs and praised students' social responsibility and their active involvement in the visual enhancement of the Port of Gdansk. Additionally, the Competition Board highly appreciated and recognized the designing and technical skills reflected in many of the submitted works, and in particular congratulated the authors of a video presentation - a team of students representing the Gdansk University of Technology, including: Adrianna Bohdziewicz, Iga Brzuchanska, Zuzanna Kurylo, Katarzyna Pietnowska and Anna Ptak.

The key operations of the port will certainly continue to include the handling of cargos shipped by sea on the international scale. However, the Port of Gdansk represents a unique example of a wide-ranging co-relation between industrial and urban spaces. It provides an excellent test-ground for the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which is becoming increasingly popular all over the world. The concept of CSR - whereby companies take into account social interests, environmental requirements and the needs of their stakeholders already at the point of building their development strategy - was the main inspiration for the PGA SA initiative.
The Gdansk port management together with their project partners on frequent occasions referred to the idea of Corporate Social Responsibility during their joined efforts to provide an aesthetically attractive vision of the Port of Gdansk development. Motivation and stimulation aimed at the shared responsibility for the quality urban and port landscapes will determine the everyday living and working conditions in Gdansk.

The measures taken by the Port of Gdansk Authority contribute to the integration including business, science and cultural communities as well as the local government. At the celebration held on Westerplatte concluding phase I of this long-range project, the Board of PGA SA represented by President of the Board Dorota Raben and Vice Presidents Jerzy Melaniuk and Marek Pietruszewski hosted the City Mayor of Gdansk Wiesław Bielawski, the self-government represented by the Marshall of the Pomerania Region Ryszard Swilski, university authorities and a large number of representatives of the local business, including companies operating on the Port of Gdansk premises, as well as many students and journalists. The exhibition launched at the Westerplatte Ferry Terminal and presenting designs entered into the competition will also be shown in the university halls, local government halls and at the Harbour Master's Office in Gdansk. This is how the original idea is put into practice by the organizers who wish to present the designs and their merit to a broader audience including Gdansk residents and to give rise to a popular debate discussing shared cultural values reflected in the Gdansk landscapes.

Janusz Kasprowicz
PGA SA PR Officer