Warsaw’s Bank Square is becoming greener thanks to systematic work aimed at transforming the space into a more welcoming place for residents and tourists. Tuesday, 23 July, marked the start of the next phase of works to increase the amount of greenery in the square.
The new phase of work on Bank Square includes ‘de-concretising’ the asphalt island dividing the lanes. The 150-metre-long space, which separates several lanes of traffic, will be replaced with almost 500 sq m of greenery, including new trees. The new plantings will extend from Solidarności Avenue towards the city centre. By the end of the coming weekend, granite kerbs will be installed to separate the space for greenery. At the moment, jackhammers are working here to remove the superfluous pavement.
The transformation of Bank Square is part of a larger project, divided into phases, to transform the concrete and asphalt space into a people-friendly place. In March this year, the City Roads Authority planted trees and shrubs in the corner of the square on Elektoralna Street. The previous year, 20 new trees, including oaks and plane trees, had appeared in the square.
The transformation of Bank Square is part of a wider strategy to green the city, which aims to create a more sustainable and friendly urban environment. In May, the city council presented designs and visualisations of the transformed space, which is currently dominated by concrete, asphalt and car traffic. The new functional and spatial concepts were developed as a result of a design and consultation process. The project also included Bank Square.
The changed vision of Bank Square harks back to pre-war times to some extent. Instead of a car park next to the Juliusz Słowacki monument, a square with a new water feature is envisaged. On the western side, a pedestrian promenade and another square would appear along the facades of the monumental historic buildings. Almost the entire surface of the square would be covered with trees and various types of greenery, which would be a great change in this concrete-dominated space. Reconstruction of the carriageway, tram tracks and relocation of bus stops are under consideration.
Source: Warsaw CityHall
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