Under the arches

As attaining prime plots in Poland's cities becomes more difficult, the renovation of existing buildings is becoming increasingly popular.

Factories in Łodz are being con-verted into offices and shops. An old brewery in Poznan is to turn into a business/cultural centre. And now the arches under Warsaw's Poniatowski bridge are to house a unique shopping centre made up of small retailers and craftsmen.
In 1998 a company called Niezalezny Most won a tender to develop the arches under Pon-iatowski bridge (on the side which leads into Al. Jerozolimski) into a collection of small retailers. Construction by gen-eral contractor Budner got underway in 1999 and now the scheme is expected to open in May this year. There was a hiccup in July last year when Niezalezny Most ran out of money, so a group of 80 small retailers got together and formed Stowarzyszenie Kupców i Rzemieslników Arkada (the Arkada Association of Retailers and Craftsmen), to act as developer. The association is currently attempting to obtain leasehold rights to the site.
The Arkada Centre contains c. 4,000 sqm of retail space, composed of 200 units on two floors. There will be 150 shops, including a 250-sqm foodstore. ,We don't know exactly what kind of shops we'll have, but I think the diversity will mean we can call ourselves a 'luxurious bazaar', says Marek Kozlowski, president of the association. According to Bohdan Napieralski of architecture firm 'Andrzej Barbara Kaliszewscy Bohdan Napieralski Atelier', putting a new scheme in an existing structure isn't easy. ,The two parts have to assimilate not only technologically but also aesthetically," he said. Close proximity to the bridge means that fire safety is of paramount importance. Asked about his inspiration, Napieralski recalls a bridge he saw in Vienna several years ago. ,They adapted an old brick railway bridge into a line of shops with a shop under every arch. Perhaps we have other examples of this type of architecture in Poland but I haven't seen any".