Background

The fourth Future City Game in Poland was played in Gdańsk, which with Gdynia and Sopot constitutes the largest urban area on the Baltic Sea in Poland. The game was played as part of the city's larger programme of activities supporting the candidature of Gdańsk for the title of European Capital of Culture 2016.

Objectives

We focused on reviving and reshaping the image of the courtyards of historical buildings in the beautiful Old Town of Gdańsk. The courtyards, which belong to the city, are in bad condition and cannot be used properly by residents or tourists. The game involved both residents and the city authorities in a dialogue about possible transformations to make these spaces more attractive to the wider public, while considering the needs of the residents.

The Gdańsk Future City Game was organised in partnership with the President’s Bureau for Culture and Promotion at the City Council and the Office of Gdańsk the European Capital of Culture 2016.

Winning idea

Mussel

The winning team came up with the metaphor of a mussel, which represents an ideal solution for reconciling the needs of the two involved parties, both of whom should have the right to use the courtyards. A mussel is soft on the inside, which indicates the willingness of the residents to open the space up to visitors, and hard on the outside, symbolising the need of the residents to set some limits to the public availability of the courtyards. The group generated a number of ideas on how to make the courtyards friendlier to tourists and residents. By building a fence that would allow the residents to close the courtyards during the night, thus making them feel more secure, they would also feel that the courtyards are a part of their home. But how to attract tourists? By inviting them on an exciting sightseeing tour which would cross the courtyards. To make the tour more interesting, the team suggested stressing the uniqueness of each courtyard by providing information about its history and other distinctive features in each of them. The introduction of cafes in some of the courtyards would provide tourists with a pleasant atmosphere for a well-deserved rest.

Winning ideas from the other teams

Take a Glimpse into the Courtyard

The idea uses a crane (the symbol of the port of Gdańsk) as a metaphor for having a look into a courtyard, as if from the crane, which would allow residents of the surrounding buildings to keep their privacy. The core of the idea, similar to the winning idea, is the preparation of an itinerary that would incorporate a number of courtyards to attract visitors. The courtyards would exhibit various sculptures of cranes to draw the tourists’ attention and give the individual courtyard a unique identity. The team proposed three spatial models for the development of courtyards, which vary depending on the level of their openness to the public.

Courtyard as the Heart of the Neighbourhood

The idea is based on an analysis of the two courtyards that were the subjects of the game. One of the courtyards is sunnier, thus attracting more outside visitors, and the other is shadier and more private. Since the neighbours in the courtyard do not know each other, and this is the main reason for the lack of cooperation in taking care of the courtyard, the team suggested various solutions to activate the community. The next step would be the development of the two courtyards. One could be transformed into an area for relaxation,  with a green area and a playground reserved only for the residents. The other should be transformed into a more public place, with public art and benches, and could become the heart of the quarter.

One Level Higher – to feel at home in your courtyard

The idea is based on building the capital of community links, by initiating actions such as ‘The day of our courtyard’, competition for the name of the courtyard, or starting cooperation with the neighbouring Academy of Fine Arts. Apart from such ‘soft’ actions, the idea also includes some minor architectural adjustments, which would improve the aesthetic quality of the courtyard and the residents’ quality of life: city lighting, underground rubbish bins, and benches. To reconcile the needs of residents with the need to attract a wider public, the team proposed building a terrace at first floor level which would be reserved only for residents. The ground level, however, could be intended for services and a parking area. Based on an analysis of the space, the group envisaged one integration place at level ‘0’, which would exhibit public art.

The Residents’ Forum

The team wanted to strengthen the social integration of residents and improve safety in the courtyards. The core of the idea is to transform the courtyard into a space for integration by opening a café for the community, a playground, and a relaxation area for the older generation. The group proposed the introduction of zoning: traffic and pedestrian zones. An interactive sculpture that could be modified by visitors would be placed in the ‘sunny courtyard’, as well as a free hotspot zone to attract the younger generation.