Project WAZZA – A joint initiative of the city and three Wrocław universities

• Students with the help of lecturers designed a community garden for senior citizens with funding from the city
• Public consultation becomes a basis for creating a functional space
• The community garden on Ciepła street will open in September
  
  

Collaboration of three universities and the city

A dozen students from science clubs of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wrocław University ofScience and Technology and the Academy of Fine Arts in Wrocław have joined forces to design and build a community garden for the Day Care Centre on Ciepła Street. The students are building a pergola together, adapting the design to the needs of the elderly. On Friday 28 July, a presentation of the first of the modules and consultations with a group of senior citizens took place at Czasoprzestrzen.

The project is a joint initiative of the city and Wrocław's universities, but it wouldn’t be possible without funding from the WAZZA programme, i.e. Wrocław Academic Task Groups – a form of cooperation between the city and the academic community as part of the Wrocław Academic Centre.

– The WCA was established to engage academics in the development of Wrocław. We work with scientists and lecturers, and now also with students, whose creativity and out-of-the-box approach bring freshness and energy to the projects – says Anna Gil, coordinator of the WCA from the Wrocław City Hall's Office for University Cooperation.

The design part of the entire project began as early as April, when teams and their supervisors were appointed: Dr Małgorzata Świąder from UPWr, Dr Jerzy Łątka from PWr, Małgorzata Pawlak-Kubasek, Dr Krzysztof Kubasek and Prof. Piotr Jędrzejewski from the Academy of Fine Arts. Students can also count on the assistance of consultants – experts in the field at each of the three universities – throughout the duration of the project. At the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, the project is supported by the expertise of Joanna Dobrzańska (adapting space to the needs of people with disabilities), Prof. Aleksandra Lis (greenery and safety in urban spaces), Prof. Monika Ziemiańska and Prof. Przemysław Bąbelewski (planting), and Prof. Krzysztof Lejcuś and his team (rational water management).

– The city was the first to contact us with a ready-made idea and asked if we would participate in the project, assuming that it would be a collaboration of three universities – says Dr Małgorzata Świąder, adding that as part of the FAST contest, teams from UPWr have already created two community gardens: at Grunwaldzka Street (the 'Green Inclusion' project) and for Vocational School Complex No. 5 at Dawida Street ('EduGarden'). – So we have experience. The FoodSHIFT2030 project I am in charge of involves, among other things, promoting the creation of community gardens – emphasises Dr Świąder.

Nothing about us without us

The first step in starting the design process was to interview the wards of the centre on Ciepła Street, to find out their needs and understand their problems. The seniors and the staff at the Care Home – according to the students – immediately opened up to them. – We made a dream tree, asking the seniors what they expected from this space, what would make them feel safe and comfortable. Some came back to us with answers many times. Everyone was very active – says one student.

– We also organised lectures for the students. We wanted them to realise that contact with older people, interviews with them are very important for this project – emphasises Dr Małgorzata Świąder. – "Nothing about us without us" – we wanted them to be anchored in the conviction that the public voice is crucial and without it this space simply won't function.

The students initially met in three mixed groups and designed different concepts for the development of the space. Then, based on discussions around the ideas developed, they created a joint concept for the community garden and got down to the practical part of the whole project.

Next steps

Recently, the prototype of the pergola module designed by the students was completed. During its presentation at Czasoprzestrzen, it gained the approval of the seniors, so the next stage will be constructing further bench modules, creating paths, relocating some of the plants, landscaping of the front of the building, and planting according to the design, which the students will carry out in collaboration with the seniors from the centre.

The garden is scheduled to open at the end of September, when Senior Citizens' Days are traditionally held in Wrocław. 

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