GRAD
After more than two years of work on the development of pilot strategies for the promotion of green roofs, a summary and presentation of the project results was conducted. This project has contributed to the development of documents that combine in an innovative way the objectives of sustainable urban development with climate policy objectives, such as adaptation to climate change and climate change action. On December 11, 2020, the final conference of the GRAD project was held: Green Roofs as a Tool for Climate Change Adaptation in Urban Areas gathered a number of people interested in a holistic approach to the development of green roofs in cities.
GRAD
Within the bounds of the GRAD- Strategy of Green Roofs project, representatives of 8 pilot cities undertook a study tour to Hamburg on June 5 and 6, 2019. During this trip, they learned more about the development of the city’s green roof strategy, observed how it is changing the urban landscape, and visited fascinating objects with green roofs and vivid walls. These are becoming more numerous every year — the city of Hamburg’s goal is to cover urban areas of up to 100 hectares with vegetation. New green roofs are being built on both public and private buildings — residential and commercial — and a significant number of them are open to the public.
GRAD
The “GRAD” project aimed to adapt the experience of the City of Hamburg in developing green roof strategies since 2014 to an exemplary strategy structure to Polish conditions. In cooperation with the City of Hamburg and eight Polish pilot cities (Bielsko-Biała, Bydgoszcz, Gdynia, Kalisz, Kraków, Lublin, Warszawa and Wrocław), the Stowarzyszenie Gmin Polska Sieć “Energie Cités” implemented the project from 2018 to 2020. The conference covered topics such as water retention, green roofs, strategy and stormwater management. The aim of the project was to promote green roofs and facades as a means of climate adaptation in urban areas, using the experience of Hamburg. Individual strategies for the mentioned Polish cities were developed to support the promotion and implementation of green roof projects. The publication provides details on various aspects such as types, benefits and costs of green roofs, as well as on the development of individual targets and measures to promote and support green roof projects in Polish cities.
PRESIDENT PLANTS TREE IN GERMAN-POLISH GARDENS
During Frank-Walter Steinmeier and his wife Elke Büdenbender’s visit to Poland, the Federal President planted a hornbeam (Carpinus betulus “Fastigiata”) in the German-Polish Gardens on Wedel Avenue as a symbolic opening of the park’s second revitalisation phase. Photos 1–3, 5: © Adam Burakowski Photo 4: © Natalia Kobza
WRA VIII
The conference is dedicated to the topic of urban development from different perspectives. The aspects of master plans, design guidelines and standards in urban planning will be discussed, including the revitalization of a former military area for a new residential district in Ulm by architect Joerg Th. Coqui. The collaboration between cities and private investors known as “URBAN AGREEMENTS” will be highlighted, including the tallest “green” residential high-rise, Donau Flats in Vienna, and investor commitments, presented by Jasmin Soravia, CEO of SoReal GmbH. Also discussed will be investments in urban projects and the role of architectural competitions in designing optimal buildings, with examples including a German architectural competition and the open call competition for Rynek Łazarski in Poznań, presented by architect Peter Achatzi and initiator architect Dawid Strebicki. Date: 20.11.2017Venue: Zamoyski Palace — Association of Polish Architects (SARP), Foksal Street 2 in Warsaw.Number of participants: 200
WRA VII
Following the adoption of a new urban redevelopment law in Poland in winter 2015, future projects are expected to reach a new dimension. Previous urban redevelopment projects in Poland often had to do only with redevelopment and did not always achieve the hoped-for revitalization of the city districts. Lodz, Bytom and Walbrzych were selected as model project cities. The conference discussed the first experiences of these projects and compared them with German urban redevelopment concepts and already realized projects in order to analyze the different starting situations and processes. The goals of the meeting included defining concepts and processes, emphasizing interdisciplinarity, stimulating participation of different stakeholders and sharing knowledge about problems and risks of urban redevelopment projects. Presentations were given by: Manfred Kühne (Head of Department Senate Department for Urban Development and Environment, Berlin), Jacek Grunt-Mejer (Coordinator of the Program of Revitalization in Warsaw), Dipl.-Ing. Thomas Göbel-Groß, Urban Designer, Hanna Gill — (Piątek, Department of Revitalization, Łódź), Till Rehwaldt (Rehwaldt Landscape Architects).
GREEN CITY
As part of the Festival of Gardens, on September 10 at 3:30 p.m. we invite you to the grand opening of the plant installation “Gardens on the Steps” at the National Museum in Warsaw. Plant installations on staccato-like platforms scattered on the steps of the monumental courtyard space of the National Museum are the “Green WOW!” of the Garden Festival. “Gardens on the steps” for a while become a place of close encounters, a “green” island of backstage conversations after visiting exhibitions or before entering the museum. Who will notice the lack of water in the pool? We will plant the garden together! The celebration will be enhanced by a violin performance by Marzena Hodyr and Szymon Telecki. During the opening, we invite you to enjoy conversation over a glass of wine, as well as a walk through the museum’s collections on the topic: “How much GREEN is in GREEN?”.
WRA VI
The conference addressed the current situation of sustainability in cities. With global environmental impacts mainly due to cities, the question arises how we can create a stable and humane environment for urban residents. This is becoming increasingly important in light of ongoing demographic change and the “renaissance of cities.” Special attention will be given to the potential of green and open spaces in cities, which can provide not only environmental but also economic benefits. Speakers included: Dr.-Ing. Jan Kamiński (Chairman of the Council for Spatial Culture at the Mayor of Lublin), Landscape Architect Klaus Hoppe (Director of Horticulture Hamburg), Landscape Architect Lorenz Dexler (TOPOTEK1), Andrea Gerischer (Project Manager IGA Berlin 2017), — Architect Dr. Peter Apel (Planungsbüro STADTKINDER). Date: June 10, 2016Place: Zamoyski Palace — Association of Polish Architects (SARP), Foksal Street 2 in Warsaw.Number of participants: 100
WRA V
The 5th Warsaw Architecture Talks focused on the topic of Innovative Housing and highlighted the experiences of the IBA Hamburg as well as the housing project “Nowe Żerniki” in Wroclaw. Forward-looking approaches to housing construction were discussed, including low-cost construction, intelligent building materials and flexible residential architecture. The event offered insights into IBA Hamburg’s concepts regarding low-cost construction, energy-smart facades and adaptable houses. At the same time, the residential project “Nowe Żerniki” was presented, a sustainable neighborhood in Wroclaw that aims for a high quality of life and a variety of uses. Presenters included: Ewa Malinowska-Grupińska (City Council President City of Warsaw), Uli Hellweg (Managing Director IBA Hamburg), Piotr Fokczyński, (City Architect of Wroclaw) and Arch. Michael Ziller (zillerplus architects). Date: 16.11.2015 (Monday). Venue: Zamoyski Palace — Association of Polish Architects (SARP), Foksal Street 2 in Warsaw. Number of participants: 110
WRA IV
The fourth session of the Warsaw Architecture Talks focused on the Polish rental housing market and the introduction of a rental housing fund by the Polish government. It was discussed how affordable and high quality architecture can be realized in rental housing and which social and architectural aspects are important. The importance of socially mixed neighborhoods and the role of urban gardens in urban development were also addressed. SARP Oddział Warszawski was a partner of the event, supported by Fundacja Współpracy Polsko-Niemieckiej, PUCZYŃSKI — mała architektura and RINN. ARCHITEKTURA-MURATOR acted as a media partner. The speakers at this conference were Andrzej Klimczuk (sociologist, Warsaw), Tomasz Fudala (Muzeum Sztuki Nowoczesnej, Warsaw), Rainer Hofmann (bogevischs buero, Munich), Susanne Schnorbusch (architect, Berlin), Dr. Michael Ludwig (City Councillor for Housing, Housing Construction and Urban Renewal, Vienna) and Christoph Roedig (roedig. schop architekten, Berlin). Venue: Pavilion SARP (Association of Polish Architects), ul. Foksal 2, WarsawNumber of participants: 110Date: 28.11.2014