The results of the "Visual Enhancement of the Port of Gdansk" competition are revealed

03.03.2016

The Visual Enhancement of the Port of Gdansk is a project initiated with the aim of creating a concept of redeveloping the quays in use at the port and developing previously unused space, so that the port can be successively transformed into a place in which active port operations take place, with simultaneous optimal use of the natural values of the area. According to the concept behind the project, the austere elements of the industrial space are to be successively replaced with elements drawing on the natural charm and appeal of the seaside landscape, so that the area of the Port of Gdansk located by the Martwa Wisla can gain a new face.

The project itself was initiated on 2 June 2014, when the Port of Gdansk Authority SA concluded the Partnership Agreement regarding the joint implementation of the first stage of the "Visual Enhancement of the Port of Gdansk" project. The agreement was signed by representatives of each of the five partners involved in its implementation, including the Mayor of the City of Gdansk, the Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of Gdansk University of Technology, the Pro-Rector of the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk, and the Rector of Sopot University of Applied Science.

The idea of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA was to create an innovative project with the support of the academic community, thanks to which the port could be transformed into an organism in which sections of waterside areas, all the way to the port entrance, would be revived and - where possible - made available to both residents and tourists.
Areas which today could not be used for industrial purposes, were to be developed in a practical way, so as to eventually obtain a consistent concept for development of the coastal areas.

At the first stage of the project, workshops attended by about 60 students were organised. Divided into 16 groups, the students prepared artistic works in order to present their concepts for the development of the waterside areas along the Fairway at the Inner Port.

The continuation of the undertaking, and at the same time the next stage of the project, was the announcement of an open, two-stage study and execution competition by the Port of Gdansk Authority SA in October 2015. The competition task was to develop the concept of visual enhancement of the Martwa Wisla waterfronts along with the concept of redevelopment of the designated waterside zones of the Port of Gdansk in accordance with the arrangements of the local area development plans and the spatial and architectural guidelines of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA.
The architects taking part in the competition had the opportunity to propose new walking areas, pedestrian walkways and cycle paths, art installations, landscape architecture elements, green areas, and ways of developing historical sites.
The competition also included elevations of buildings situated along the fairway at the Inner Port.
At the first stage of the competition, the competition jury - including representatives of the Port of Gdansk Authority SA and members of the Association of Polish Architects - assessed the attractiveness of the solutions presented in the submissions. The originality of the ideas was also evaluated.
The authors of the three best concepts were invited to take part in the second stage.
The winning submission was selected from among them on 1 March, and on 2 March, the results of the competition were officially announced and the winners revealed. In accordance with the adopted formula of the competition, all of the submissions were encoded throughout its duration, hence the authors could be revealed only during the final ceremony. Based on the winning concept, a construction design for the area near the port entrance will be prepared, as the area development plan will be implemented in stages. As of now, mainly the area near the Duty Free Zone and the Capt. Ziolkowski Quay will be redesigned. The selected concept is supposed to chart the direction of the visual enhancement of the port areas which, due to their nature, will ultimately not be able to be used for industrial purposes.

The best work, selected in a vote by the jury, was the project submitted by young Gdansk architects representing three studios: Restudio, Studio R, and Midi, who decided to develop a single project for the port's visual enhancement together for the purposes of the competition. The members of the winning design team included: Roland Kwasny, Maciej Jacaszek, Rafal Jacaszek, Piotr Karas, Artur Dubis, and Maja Smulska. The teams can boast a broad portfolio of design work, including the design of the Water and Ice Sailing Centre, theatre and concert halls, parks, an olympic-sized pool, and much more.
In accordance with the competition rules, apart from a financial prize, the winning team received an invitation to negotiate the execution of the detailed development of the competition design, which will form the basis for the implementation of specific visual enhancement works in the area of the Free Duty Zone and the Capt. Ziolkowski Quay. We will be able to see concrete results of these extensive works within the next two years.