New public buildings will be constructed at 9 Świętojerska Street in Warsaw. The concept, designed by the Projekt Praga studio, concerns two buildings: the seat of the Court of Appeal and the building of the Mazovian Provincial Council. The buildings will fill an empty plot in the vicinity of Plac Krasińskich, complementing the existing justice complex designed by Marek Budzyński.
New buildings at Krasiński Square
Important state institutions have been operating at Krasiński Square in Warsaw for years. Of the pre-war buildings surrounding this place, only the Krasiński Palace has survived to this day, although it was significantly damaged and required almost complete reconstruction. After 1945, the rubble of tenement houses and other buildings was cleared away, leaving empty plots of land for the next few decades. It was not until 1996-1999 that the undeveloped space was filled by the Justice Complex. The new development by Projekt Praga studio expands on this concept by Marek Budzyński and a team of other architects. Next to the distinctive building, two clearly separate structures will be built, forming a coherent complex. Their location will fill a gap in the development and place even greater emphasis on the importance of this part of the capital as an area of public administration.
Świętojerska 9 and the layout of public spaces
A distinctive feature of the concept for the new buildings is the clear prioritisation of pedestrian traffic. A sequence of publicly accessible urban spaces will be created between the buildings. It will include a square, a passage, a pedestrian alley and an arcade leading into the quarter. This layout will create a clear sequence of passageways and rest areas. Vehicle access to the site will be located on the side of Telakowska Street, thanks to which the space on the side of Świętojerska Street will retain its public, open character. This layout will preserve the existing greenery and emphasise the representative setting of the street. At the same time, the surroundings of the Ghetto Boundary Monument will change, making it more visible.
New buildings for the Mazovian Provincial Assembly and the Court of Appeal
The Court of Appeal building has been designed in a clear and orderly manner to facilitate the daily functioning of this institution. Inside, there will be courtrooms, areas for customer service and rooms for judges and administrative staff. The second building will be used by the local government of the Mazovian Province. Inside, there will be a council chamber, conference and educational spaces, and offices. The ground floor has been designed as a public area for residents, directly connected to the square and pedestrian walkways running through the complex.
Świętojerska 9 – building characteristics
Both buildings will have a consistent style. Their façades will be made of prefabricated elements of coloured architectural concrete in a subdued greenish shade. This is intended to refer to the Supreme Court building located in the neighbourhood. The regular rhythm of vertical divisions will add elegance to the façades, while different types of surface finishes, such as grooves, exposed aggregate fragments and delicate reliefs, will introduce subtle variations. The design also includes environmentally friendly solutions, such as rainwater harvesting systems, green roofs, and installations using geothermal energy and photovoltaic panels. The total usable area of the complex will exceed 12,000 sq m.
Świętojerska 9 today and in the design. Photo: Google Earth and Projekt Praga
An agreement with the contractor is expected to be signed in the near future. The tender procedure has already been completed and the company that submitted the most advantageous bid has been selected. However, the procedure has not yet been formally concluded, as the tender participants can still lodge appeals.
Author: Projekt Praga
Projekt Praga project team:
Marcin Garbacki, Karolina Tunajek, Patrycja Arasim, Natalia Duczmal, Filip Karlicki, Damian Kasperowicz, Krzysztof Katerla, Katarzyna Krokos, Michał Romański, Joanna Ryżko, Kinga Rzeplińska, Zofia Stachura, Jacek Wochowski
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