The existing service and cultural resources in Hajnówka are dispersed throughout the city. In most cases, this dispersion is desirable as it contributes to the city's character. However, in Hajnówka, single-family housing dominates, and the city itself has a linear structure. This layout results in a lack of meeting places for residents.
The center of Hajnówka is not just a new center but includes its immediate surroundings. As part of the competition concept, an attempt was made to indicate the city-forming potential of its closest neighborhood - the City Park and 3rd of May Street. The City Park can serve cultural functions, along with the Amphitheater located within it. 3rd of May Street, home to clinics, schools, offices, and association headquarters, provides an extended background for a potential new center in Hajnówka. Together, these three spaces can create a connected system of zones with varying representational values.
The City Park and ruderal greenery on railway areas and those adjacent to existing residential buildings from the north represent a vast resource in the existing urban green infrastructure. By decentralizing the buildings and designing a less compact representative zone for the new Hajnówka center, greenery has the opportunity to permeate from the City Park to the newly designed city square.
The proposed zoning of functions aims to organize the center of Hajnówka, drawing from its significant potential, such as the developed mixed-use zones along streets ("mixed-use" in small towns). The presented concept adapts this context by adding a pedestrian perspective. Zoned functions, connected by a central space at their intersection, encourage people to move on foot or by bicycle, leaving the car outside the system.
As part of locating new functions in the designed center, a roof is proposed to cover a pavilion structure intended for future investments.
The proposed fragmented residential and service development aims to compete with large-scale stores by being located near the newly designed market and public space. The fragmented service structure aligns more with Hajnówka's existing service resources and supports pedestrian movement within the project scope.
Linear park areas with sports infrastructure, such as a skate park, small sports fields, climbing walls, and tennis courts, are planned in the PKP areas. Due to the location near railway tracks, generated noise will not disturb residents in residential areas, and young people can have a part of the city "for themselves."
By moving the market to the city square, the space between the square and residential buildings can transform into a passage. A high green buffer can act as a boundary, separating residents and their parking spaces from the public zone.
Key to connecting the new center with the City Park is abandoning the thoroughfare character of Parkowa Street and turning it into a promenade with a bicycle path. Building the new center based on existing resources allows for the creation of pedestrian routes - loops (large loop, small representative loop, and small recreational loop) starting at the proposed pedestrian-cycling ramp from the railway bridge and linking important objects.
3rd place
urbanism _ urban planning and architectural competition for the development of the concept of the ”new center of hajnówka”
location _ hajnówka, poland
organizer _ city hall of hajnówka
competition type _ idea
cooperation _ alicja maculewicz
project _ 2023
new center of hajnówka