Market square in Słupsk

Phase: competition design, 2018

Design team: Ewelina Siestrzewitowska, Mateusz Gierszon, Antoni Surowiak

1. The market square as a keystone of Słupsk's green and retail spaces

Emphasising the value of the Old Market Square in Słupsk as a historic, representative place, but also as a connector binding Słupsk's attractive spaces, is the main aim of the presented concept. The market square, located next to two significant squares (the square by the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the square by the Library) and between the Nowobramska Street promenade and the revitalised boulevards on the Słupia, would – if treated as a separate square – lose its enormous value as a central square binding the other spaces. It was therefore proposed to 'couple' the three squares by means of a uniform, smooth, modular surface, inscribing into it the Nowobramska Street promenade that 'cuts across' this layout. This is the main premise of the concept.

Other strategic aims:

respect for both historic and modernist development

It is proposed to keep the Millenium cinema building as a value of modernist development. The authors consider respect for the existing modernist development as important as respect for the no-longer-existing historic development of the quarter here. Therefore it was proposed:

– to bring the mass of the former Millenium cinema into line with the principles of modernist architecture

– not to introduce a full quarter of development between Grodzka, Zamenhofa and Piekiełko Streets, since this would mean either demolishing/disturbing the mass of the former Millenium cinema or additional nearby development that lowers the aesthetic value of the modernist building

– to emphasise the outline of the historic quarter by means of light

– to introduce dense, tall greenery as an extension of the former Millenium cinema facade, which will form the missing 'wall' of the market-square space, while allowing the remaining space to be used, creating attractive pedestrian connections and not lowering the aesthetic value of the modernist cinema mass.

'Old Słupsk at night'

It is proposed to bring out the historic market square by means of floor lighting in the form of:

– illuminating the historic market-square slab

– illuminating the outline of the once-existing quarter of development between Grodzka, Zamenhofa and Piekiełko Streets and the historic market slab

– glazing and illuminating the existing remains of the market square's historic development within the Old Market slab

Providing attractive pedestrian connections across the market square both in directions parallel to the square's frontages and diagonally (between the square of the Church of the BVM and the square of St Nicholas Church-Library), so the market square works as a space connecting the neighbouring squares into a system of attractive coupled public spaces of Słupsk's centre

Introducing diverse functions while keeping the Old Market slab free

It is proposed to introduce diverse functions activating the space into the revitalised area:

– a representative square with benches and a floor fountain

– a marketplace,

– café gardens,

– a place for mass events,

– a summer cinema,

– a playground,

– a table-games square (chess/board games etc.),

– a service-and-catering building

– a service-and-café promenade on Zamenhofa Street

It is proposed to achieve this by not introducing a quarter of development on the site of the formerly existing quarter and by arranging this space as a multifunctional public space. Only park development of the Zamenhofa and Piekiełko Street corner is proposed, to allow services there, which would complete the continuity of the Zamenhofa service promenade and activate this part of the public space. The roof of the proposed pavilion is proposed as the auditorium of a summer cinema, whose screen could be the wall of the former Millenium cinema, thus referring to the history of the place.

The second measure allowing the Old Market slab to be kept free while introducing additional functions is the proposal of a system of modifiable street furniture.

A proposal for furniture that can act as a bench or a market stall, containing storage for a market umbrella, is shown in the drawings. It is proposed to place repeatable furniture on rails so that, if needed (e.g. for a mass event), it can be slid to the side of the market slab.

Calming vehicle traffic by means of woonerfs

Following analyses of the traffic connections, it is proposed to close to car traffic:

– Zamenhofa Street on the section from Nowobramska to Piekiełko Streets

– Nowobramska Street along the length of the market square

– the section of Plac Stary Rynek Street connecting Grodzka Street with Zamenhofa Street.

On the above streets, the entry of delivery vehicles and those serving the service points is proposed during specified morning hours.

It is proposed to leave Grodzka Street and Piekiełko Street accessible to vehicle traffic without restrictions, introducing traffic-calming measures:

– levelling the roadway and pedestrian spaces

– unifying the surface – using the same divisions, materials and colours, distinguishing the roadway only by a different surface texture and separators in the form of street furniture, shown in the drawings

– narrowing the roadway to the minimum permissible for two-way traffic

– introducing greenery along the roadway