SECOND PRIZE IN A NATIONAL ARCHITECTURAL COMPETITION
AUTHORS: Piotr Hardecki Architect and Agnieszka Kacprzak
The designed building will form a fragment of the frontage of Świderska Street on the axis of Ćmielowska Street. The scale of development and the intensity of development on the plot will be gradually reduced as it approaches the valuable natural riverside areas.
The main entrances to the school and kindergarten will be emphasised by intimate entrance squares. In addition to their utilitarian value, they will have social functions (meeting places, markets, festivals). The school will serve the local community, after school hours the gymnasium, library, dining room, common rooms and selected teaching studios adjacent to the forum can be made available to residents.
The internal spaces of the school will be divided into smaller groups (clusters) to accommodate groups of classes. The classrooms of younger children will be located on the ground floor, while the classrooms of older students will be located on the floors adjacent to the large terraces opening towards the Vistula River. In the central part of the building there will be a multifunctional space for the integration of the school community. All classrooms will have adequate natural lighting and sunlight.
After school hours, the outdoor area can be used by the residents of the surrounding settlements. The riparian forest will ultimately remain unfenced, continuing to function as an ecological corridor of the Vistula Valley. Development of the riparian forest will be limited to the necessary minimum, it will be visited by students only in the company of adults. The fenced school area will be connected with the riparian forest by a wooden pedestrian bridge over the depression.
The compact form and simple architectural expression will reduce costs during construction and maintenance. Land leveling and basement area will be kept to a minimum.
