Commissioned by Dąbrowa Górnicza, we have developed a strategy for developing the forest area in the Legionowo district and a detailed concept for Park Podlesie, both in the participatory process, supplemented by a functional programme and a quantity survey.
Park Podlesie was established in Dąbrowa Górnicza in the 70s for employees of the steel mill. Residents still remember concerts, dancing parties and football games. The recreation and leisure park plan has not been fully implemented, however, and most of its original equipment is currently in very poor technical condition. In the Civic Budget 2019 the residents chose to implement the city-wide ‘Podlesie Full of Life’ project. It was divided into two stages, both including public consultations. In the first stage general guidelines were to be developed for the future of a large forest area spreading from the former sports shooting range to Laski and Myśliwska Streets, with more detailed guidelines for the Podlesie Park. The second stage included developing the Park’s design together with the residents and translating it into a functional and utility programme, which will be the basis for Dąbrowa Górnicza commissioning project documentation and construction.
The participatory process consisted of direct interviews with residents in consultation points, design workshops and online consultations. The latter were a consequence of restrictions introduced throughout the country in connection with the Covid-19 pandemic. The ban on assemblies made it impossible to conduct workshops in the classic formula, so it was decided to conduct online consultations in the form of livestream in social media, where each viewer had the opportunity to comment and ask questions. It was probably the first online public consultation in Poland.
The main assumption of the concept of developing the Podlesie Park is to maintain its natural and forest nature as a place of safe rest and fun among trees. A new, more free arrangement of paths with a mineral surface was proposed. The new development elements have been unified and simplified in form and color-coordinated so that they compete with the surrounding greenery as little as possible. The priority is to protect trees growing in the park. New plantings within the Park – native species selected – are to refer as much as possible to clusters of vegetation occurring in nature.
Park Podlesie is a multifunctional space, addressed to various groups of users. The designed clearing with the stage can be used as a place for cultural events, school activities or as a fun space. The layout and diversity of track surfaces are conducive to various activities, such as running, walking, rollerblading or learning to ride a bike. Landscape elements, such as boulders and logs of wood, can also be used as a place to play for younger children or meetings for young people. Division of the park into functional zones and diversification of development elements is adapted to different age groups and promotes their integration.
The developed materials (including a description of the concept, post-consultation report and promotional film) can be found on the consultation website: http://konsultacje.dabrowa-gornicza.pl/aktualnosci/20200609/517/wiemy_juz_jak_bedzie_wygladac_park_podlesie_pelne_zycia.html
A2P2 architecture & planning consulting and design team:
Monika Arczyńska, Michał Jabłonowski, Łukasz Pancewicz, Anna Zasada
Landscape design: Ewa Potapow, mamArchitekci
Area of the Park: 1.7 ha
