The Salinar Planty in Bochnia has been given a new arrangement. It is an attractive space in a historic part of the city. The project to revalue the place was prepared by architects from the Saneccy studio from Kraków, together with a team of experts.
The planty was established in the second half of the 19th century on the basis of a design by Karol Bauer from 1868. The park’s composition consists of geometrical sections with avenues of trees in the southern part and a free arrangement in the northern part on the eastern side of the farm buildings. The area to the west of the saline pond and in the area of the former pond also received a new arrangement.
The renovation work was a challenge, as the plantations have the status of a natural monument. Old trees grow here and there are historical buildings. The buildings of the former Forge and Icehouse are listed in the register of monuments as the area of the former Bochnia Salt Mine. The buildings have been renovated and restored. Their original façade design was restored and the original brickwork was exposed.
The historic monuments in the park were also restored. In addition, the existing degraded stairs were unified and renovated with sandstone-coloured architectural concrete. The planty in Bochnia gained new urban furniture, landscaping elements and lighting. The selected lamps are stylistically reminiscent of the old gas lamps.
The three most important design interventions are: restoration of the outline of the former pond in the central part in the form of a fountain and a smaller pond in the western part in the form of a rain garden; restoration of the calligraphic part of the planty based on Karol Bauer’s plan to the west of the pond in the central part; authentication of the former square in front of the buildings of the Forge and Icehouse, together with the hedge phantoms of the two remaining farm buildings, whichno longer exist,” describe the authors of the project.
A total of 500 trees and shrubs grow in the plantations. As many as 60 of them have breast height of more than 200 cm. They are mainly chestnuts, beeches, maples and oaks. When preparing the greenery design, the architects relied on historical accounts. As a result, despite the new elements, the plantations have retained their original character. However, some new plants were planted to complement the existing rows of trees. Behind the former smithy building, where there used to be an orchard, a planting of fruit trees (ornamental apple trees) has been recreated. On the site of the small pond visible on the cartographic material, a naturalistic perennial bed was designed to serve as a rain garden. A hornbeam hedge was designed at the statue of St John of Nepomuk and around the geometric garden.
Author Team:
Saneccy sp. z o.o.
Agnieszka Sanecka, Marek Sanecki,
Autorska Pracownia Projektowa Jerzy Wowczak
Ewa Wowczak, Jerzy Wowczak
photos: Rafał Barnaś
Read also: Squares, Plazas, Parks | Renovation | Urban furniture | City furniture | City furniture | City furniture
