A modern facade in Koszalin designed by student Nikola Kaczmarzyńska

Nikola Kaczmarzyńska has prepared a design for an infill building that is intended to have a positive impact on the development of the centre. This is her diploma project, prepared for her bachelor’s degree in interior design at the Faculty of Interior Design and Design of the Koszalin University of Technology. The supervisor was Dr Katarzyna Radecka. Thesis title: Plomba in the inner city as a centring element. Services and flats.

The subject of the study is the design of a residential complex with services located in Śródmieście in Koszalin. The site is located in the north-western part of Śródmieście at Zawiszy Czarnego, Bogusława II and Kazimierza Wielkiego streets. The building is a 3-storey building with a multi-pitched roof. The main objective of the work was to create a concept for a new public facility. The ground floor will house catering and retail services. Levels 1, 2 are residential floors, offering two-bedroom flats and studios. Each building meets the needs of each type.

A FORGOTTEN CITY CENTRE

During my education, I have had the opportunity to live in several major cities, including abroad, and I always return to my hometown of Koszalin and ask myself: why isn’t my city vibrant? It might seem that the problem stems from the size of the city or the small number of attractive social activities, but that’s not the problem. While working in catering during my studies, I touched upon this problem quite thoroughly. I studied the opinion of the local community. I paid attention to the structure of other cities. When we define the term ‘town centre’, we mean a space that concentrates the most important functions in one place and is characterised by compact architectural buildings. By learning the definition of this space and analysing the dominant functions, I answered the question of what functions need to be addressed to make the city more active. The problem of Koszalin begins in the breakdown of service functions across the city. In my thesis, I decided to focus my main attention on the Downtown area, which simply should be vibrant. This way we could see more activity in the main part of the city.

MODERN INFILL AS A CENTRAL ELEMENT

I have analysed the plots of land in the town centre and looked closely at the Local Development Plan. There is a provision prohibiting detached garages, which nevertheless account for a large percentage of development in the town. I have decided to remove them without getting rid of residents’ parking spaces. There is a large municipal car park on Grunwaldzka Street which is not being used.

The architectural layout of the newly created building is designed for selected functions taking into account the needs of the local community. It is a complementary development, fitting in with the existing one. The newly constructed development comprises three buildings, of varying size and character. In the front part of the development you will find flats with the largest area as well as a service with the largest catering facilities. The other two contain studios and smaller services adapted, for example, for a patisserie or cocktail bar or a small bistro.

In order to differentiate the functions, the modern infill has glazing in the service parts, while the residential part has been covered with white and black façade panels. Each part of the complex has been adapted for the disabled. The intended use of the building is for catering activities and a residential function. The location of the building is conducive to the demand for this type of activity. The new flats in the area will provide additional space for potential flat buyers, as well as an additional location for the provision of short-term rental services.

INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT

The intended use of the premises is for activities related to gastronomy, culture and social activities. The location of the newly created facility is conducive to the demand for this type of activity, as we are talking about a strictly downtown area, i.e. the “heart of the city”. Visitors to the restaurant will relax in a good atmosphere and enjoy good food and drinks.

The architectural layout of the newly created restaurant separates two zones. One of them has a cafe function during the day, while in the evenings it becomes a form of coctail bar. The other part of the restaurant, on the other hand, is the dining area. The large glazing on the front elevation is intended to highlight the restaurant in order to emphasise the importance of the premises in this building and the surrounding area. The restaurant has been designed to accommodate guests who will be able to hold business or social meetings here. Due to the nearby workplaces of the administrative function, it can be an ideal place to hold important talks or organise lunches or company dinners. The dishes prepared in the restaurant, based on regional and fresh products, can also encourage passers-by to visit the city centre.

The restaurant has two separate areas for specific types of meetings. The layout of the tables allows a group of up to 25 people to be accommodated in a single booking.

It is worth specifying the audience to which the restaurant project is addressed:

• residents of Koszalin and the surrounding area,
• tourists visiting the city, whose desire is to taste good food,
• adults.

LET KOSZALIN BE FULL OF LIFE

The city really has a chance to revive. Such an investment would certainly be very expensive, but it would offer a chance for a second life. By building a real city centre, we would be able to see the people of Koszalin on the streets, not just during their working hours. Such a project would provide new jobs, new places for investment or future housing.

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