The first Pracownia Zmiany project: ’DeConcreted’
The largest urban movement in Poland – Miasto Jest Nasze – established a think-tank. The Pracownia Zmiany Foundation aims to support wise green changes in Polish cities and to support those fighting for them. The first Pracownia Zmiany project has come to life: ‘Odbetonowani’ (‘DeConcreted’); within the project, change proposals regarding important squares in five Polish cities are introduced.
Throughout the ‘DeConcreted’ project, we discuss the difficult issue of concrete contagion in Polish cities. The aim of the DeConcreted action is to take a look at the concrete urban spaces, completely unfit to face climate crisis challenges and to show an alternative vision: green, aesthetic, and functional.
As part of the ‘DeConcreted’ campaign, together with Gazeta.pl journalists, we have selected 5 squares in Polish cities that are haunted daily by concrete and emptiness. We did not want to, once again, focus on city markets (although we analyzed one), but rather on day-to-day glaring spaces. We believe that even squares without immediate representative functions must not become neglected, or simply forgotten by the authorities, ‘asphalt pans’.
We asked residents of selected cities about the changes expected. We then analyzed and converted the responses into a computer visualization, which also takes into account the surroundings and functions of the square. Thanks to the output, we are now able to learn about ideas for improving the surroundings in the selected cities: Skierniewice, Wrocław, Biała Podlaska, Gdańsk and Warsaw. Our concepts were created in cooperation with local urban movement activists and representatives. The assumption is simple: ’hidden’ or otherwise ‘unexposed’ squares do not have to be ugly.
Below, we present a city square in Skierniewice and our visualization of the proposed changes. The next ones will be presented along with new publications. More information will appear at Zielona.Gazeta.pl. The ‘DeConcreted’ project will also be accompanied by various promotional activities, including a debate with the participation of the Pracownia Zmiany project team – we invite you to watch the debate on August 19 at Gazeta.pl.