Saxon Axis and Hale Mirowskie
The grand Saxon Axis, has a long history that tells the story of the development of Warsaw. In the beginning of the twentieth century the Hale Mirowskie were constructed, to be the largest market halls in Europe at the time. It turned out to be a vivid trading place. Although, the market halls have survived the war, the large scale destruction of the dense city surrounding the halls, made the halls to decay and lose their importance.

The nearby Marszalkowska Street, became the major traffic axis from North to South in post-war Warsaw, splitting through the Saxon axis. To accommodate traffic the pedestrian crossing of the Saxon Axis was blocked by a steel fence, cutting off the Hale Mirowskie part from the Saxon garden. This led to further decay of the Hale Mirowskie.

The halls have in recent years gradually become more flourishing again, due to the development of the business district at Jana Pawla II and the changes in society. The post-communist Warsovian have seen an increase in income and are valuating honest, local and organic products again.

Strategy
The halls have potential to truly revive as a hub of twenty-first century trading, once the public space in the vicinity will get a thorough overhaul, which will create space for adding functions. In the philosophy of sustainability, urban food production, close to the place of consumption, may give the extra impulse to the popularity of the halls, among a society becoming more and more aware of environmental issues.

On the two relatively small available plots (one between the market halls, the other between the market hall and the palace on the axis), we identify opportunity to add high rise, which can serve as a landmark, marking the Saxon axis and adding importance to it. While at the other hand its clever combination of functions can add much needed importance in the program of the market halls.

In the strategy we want to combine extension of the market function, with food production on the levels above, while adding desirable office surface at the same time. In addition, an indoor botanical educational center, which double serves as an orangery, will complete the functions.

The plan consists of two glass towers, both of which are very cleverly shaped and oriented towards the old buildings they are meant to give new meaning to.

One of them has a small footprint and then expands as an upside down pyramid to preserve the public space at the base of the Hale Mirowskie, while adding a lot of floor surface above. Whereas the other tower does the opposite, which adds a modern market square experience at the lower levels, meanwhile adding a lot of daylight at the higher levels, by its sloped glass facade, providing sunlight for the crops to develop in the vertical food production facility.

These shapes are very much welcoming the sun, where it is needed for food production and at the same time preserving good climate in the core for contemporary office spaces. Their 'diamond like' sculptural appearance furthermore gives new meaning to the Saxon Axis, by reflecting either sky or the surrounding in the cantilevered glass facades.

This architectural intervention literally enables the old buildings to reflect in the twenty-first century addition, thus providing a glimpse of the glory of the past, as well as shaping the future for the Hale Mirowskie, by strongly connecting their functions to the modern urban challenges.

The plan therefore fits perfectly in the award winning master plan called Mega Block, for the Za Zalazna Brama district by Piotr Szczesniak, which seeks to bring balance between urbanity, public space, collective space and green in the district.