Like a horizontal skyscraper | TARAS skatepark

The TARAS skateboard park is located near the Palace of Culture and Science, the second tallest building in Poland. The minimalist, well-kept public space with new features was designed by Polish architects Marcin Kwietowicz and Michal Sikorski.

Following the collapse of Communism, Warsaw’s city center became a scene of rapidly developing, large-scale investments. The utilization of public spaces, on the other hand, seemed to have stopped advancing; neglected, concrete-covered areas have only recently been re-occupied by city dwellers.

The TARAS (meaning terrace—The Ed.) skatepark was also created in response to this context: resembling a horizontal skyscraper, it creates a connection with the glass-clad buildings that occupy the skyline. The skatepark’s base is covered with elongated, rectangular wooden boards in shades of gray—thanks to their color and geometry, they initiate a dialogue with the surrounding office buildings. Its public amenities also have a simplistic, minimalist design and allow for different forms of recreation: besides skating on the concrete area, people can also play with balls in a circular rubber field, try a small climbing surface complemented by a rope, or relax on the wooden decks, benches or hemispherical concrete surfaces.

This new public space is found in the southern corner of a previously neglected park, and not only adds new functions to the area but also represents a temporary boundary for the construction site of the new Museum of Modern Art.

Photos: Błażej Pindor, Marcin Czechowicz

Source: ArchDaily

• architecture
• poland
• east
• public space