projects and articles by members
In dialog with the surroundings
Date: March - June 2004
Place: City of Plock, Poland
The project involved series of meetings, lectures and workshops for local schools, kindergartens and the community park of the City of Plock in Poland. The main goal was that children improve their everyday surroundings. Architectural workshops were parallel to theatrical ones. Through group work, solutions and design ideas were explored. Through illustrated presentations, the participants were introduced to issues of architecture, local environments and their histories. It was important for the working teams to prove, that changes are both necessary and possible. The event was supported by the public-private partnership "Forum for Plock".
Projects expressed diversity of local contexts. The two schools are located in the city centre and in the housing area of the 60-ties and 70-ties, one - in a little nearby town. The kindergartens - in the forest and in the middle of the dense housing area. The community park - at the busy street junction.
Children started to bring their ideas into reality through construction of parts of selected projects - the playgroud area (Red Indian village) in the kindergarten forest, an amphitheatre in the garden. The project involved over 100 children, aged 5 to16. It was tutored by architect Dariusz Smiechowski, art historian Zofia Bisiak and theatre instructor Roma Ludwicka from the Youth Culture House in Plock who was the main organiser. Young architects joined the project.
Final presentation of 7 groups took place in the City Market Square. Theatre, music and dance programmes depicted the character of each project. The final exhibition opened at the City Hall. It was visited by city inhabitants and authorities.
