AUTHORS:

Łukasz Tański

Piotr Żelaznowski

 

Student competition, Targ Rybny (Fischmarkt), Gdańsk, Poland. 

 

The challenge was to propose a design that can act mainly as:

 

The idea for the new Fish Market was born in the course of a long reflection and is a response to the high requirements set by the jury. While working on the concept we came to the conclusion that the Fish Market, has no real potential to become a destination. Rather than that (apart from the eventual functionality), it could become more like a stop by the way. Its most important feature is versatility, adaptability to various events.

 

 

Let me show you some concept sketches, before we continue to the final project itself.

The idea behind this impossible, gravity defying roof structure is that there is a peculiar setback in the frontage, which didn't exist back in the centuries, but after the WWII this particular fragment just hasn't been rebuilt. And so the setback become natural in our image of this place.

 

What we wanted to achieve was to bring back the rhythm of the roofs (according to the historical parcel divisions), but at the same time leave the setback as an event place. It's like you put a block of tenement houses form and then take out the whole inside solid, leaving only the roof shape. Pretty cool, huh?

Then we played with the construction and checked the views, which were given by the competition organizers to show on renderings obligatory.

We also played with the folding idea, and experimented with some different shapes, to make it look cool and not too obvious.

We were also told to design an apartment house at the very end of this block. So we just followed the folding roof concept. Nothing special.

And now let me show you the final renderings. What I am really happy for is that we didn't get too far from the first sketches, which doesn't happen too often. We sticked to the first concept consequently, because we knew, that this is the strongest and coolest point of our design. Period.

So you can arrange a smaller concert on this side of the river, and a bigger one on the open-air scene on the other side.

You can also organize some water events, such as water sports, races, shows etc. Maybe some fireworks shows?

Annual St. Dominic's Market? Or any other that kind of event?

Or you can just fold it if you don't need the whole thing right now. Folding itself could be a great attraction! I would love to see that!

On the north-eastern end of the frontage we designed a small apartment building with a pub or cafe on the ground floor. Its shape follows the concept of the roof on the Fish Market. The building structure rises in the north to gently accentuate the end of the frontage, which connects to the lower level to keep up with the roof rhythm height.

So we decided to answer this whole competition problem with the idea that provides the versatility, and which is mobile and attractive. The concept consists of several very important elements:
1. Folding roof
2. Raised modular auditorium
3. Suspended, folding deck above the audience
4. Multifunctional square stepped down towards Motława river

THE ROOF
As I said before, the inspiration to create such a form was to extend the rhythm of the existing townhouses saving the setback at the same time. The divisions of the roof planes reflect historical division of the lot, so that kind of composition play a kind of educational role and fits perfectly into the historical context.

 

The folding roof is the most important and most distinctive element of the concept. Its form and structure seem to defy the laws of gravity, and the whole gives the impression of a structure floating  above the ground. The whole thing consists of a steel structure and automatic mechanisms, folding the roof, supported by two rows of thin, openwork poles around which stairwells are located. When the roof unfolds. the pillars and staircases slide along with it. This allows a wide range of possibilities for the organization of space underneath.

SUSPENDED DECK
The deck is an extra advantage of the project, as it may serve as the additional space for the audiences, as a technical space during concerts and other events, but for every day use, it is a great vantage point for Olowianka and Long Gardens (the parts of Gdańsk on the other side of Motława river).

AUDIENCE
Inside the podium, which is a remnant of the historic part of the frontage, we put a hidden slide-out, modular audiences, like that of the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre, but somewhat extended and modified type. Modularity allows a number of further organizational options for this space.

The audience can pulled out fully and become a part of the open-air scene of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic on Ołowianka. The audience can also be used for events organized at the Fish Market or on the Motlawa (water sports, sailing events, shows, etc.). The modules can also be pulled out individually and serve as stalls at numerous fairs, markets and other similar events.

THE PUBLIC SPACE

The tectonics of the area is designed in a way that its structure is already providing a theater character. The part between the roof and the setback frontage is quite flat to enable the organization of fairs. Then the other part is gradually stepping down towards the river and enriched with the street furniture. The composition of white and maroon stripes "grabs" the coming passers-by and "pulls in" the Fish Market. White stripes are generally flat (no, not the band, which is cool, even with no bassist on board) and provide few opportunities to move between the steps, and are safe to navigate for people with disabilities who have virtually 100% guarantee that they move along the right path. Maroon stripes are equipped with ramps and specially designed furniture. There is also a possibility to place the names and directions guiding the passers-by for more significant places in the area.

 

Between the Swan Tower and the podium with a roof we designed an interesting, cozy space, graded, Philharmonic oriented and with a little flattening, forming small natural stage for buskers or small concerts, shows and happenings. This small space is surrounded by a low greenery, benches and water cascades. It is a pleasant space for meetings and a moment of rest.

The whole composition is carefully designed, integrated with the surroundings and extended to all scope of the given area. Pedestrian areas are equipped with a large number of seats and small green spaces, not blocking the views, while the gradation of levels is designed to allow the casual walking and to put out the cafe and restaurant tables. The space is interesting, very multifunctional and allows for virtually any type of its organization. The trace of a "shared space street" going through the square is marked only with reflecting buttons to indicate that the priority role in this place belong to the pedestrians. Specially selected flooring tends drivers (buses, taxis, supplies) to very careful driving and park only in designated areas. Off-season the square can serve as a parking lot.

There goes the section

And here we have the street furniture, which we designed for this particular place (yes, any Highline associations are justified). First the concept sketches and then some CAD drawings.

THANK YOU!