The “Sustainable design – the need for integrated design” seminar took place in Euro-Centrum on Tuesday. The event was held within a nationwide series of seminars combined with workshops. The practical part was lead by Konior Studio and Buro Happold.
The cycle of the meetings aims to build awareness about sustainable design in the construction industry by initiating discussions among all participants in the investment process in the most interesting regions of Poland. The additional objective was to strengthen the cooperation between investors, developers, architects and local government representatives.
The panel discussion, a theoretical part of the Katowice seminar, was attended by architects – Tomasz Konior (Konior Studio), Michał Buszek (City architect of Katowice), Ryszard Jurkowski (AiR Jurkowscy-Architekci), Sławomir Kostur (architect of the first passive office building in Poland) and business representatives – Jean Luc Darras (technical director, RD bud – initiator and main sponsor of the seminars), Mirosław Czernik (chairman of the Upper Silesian Industrial Park), Jolanta Lessig (marketing communication manager, Pilkington) and Marek Dąbrowski (associate, Buro Happold).
The discussion mostly concerned a definition and a need of the sustainable design and its different meaning for a wide range of all professional groups involved in the construction process. The general conclusion was to remember about the life cycle of buildings, how they affect the surroundings and how we can change functions of the buildings in the future without demolition. “It is very important, because decisions made today will result in the quality of the life of users of the buildings over the coming years” – said Jean Luc Darras.
During the second part of the seminar, participants were divided into five groups and were working on a map of the City Center of Katowice. They had to define problems and to propose solutions for the Market Sq. and the roundabout area – the space to be redeveloped in the years to come and located between the two important investments sites and City spots being under construction at present: the new Railway Station/Galeria Katowicka and the cultural district. The participants also ranked factors of the sustainable growth which are the most important for the City Center redevelopment in their opinion (e.g. economy, public spaces, waste products management, transport, water, culture). According to Tomasz Konior, the conclusions will be sent to the City Hall.
The workshop was moderated by Tomasz Konior and Marek Dąbrowski. The seminar was organized by Bluevine Consulting.