Student participiants:
Maria Kwiatkowska,Marcin Stępień , Eduards Lasmanis, Jelizaveta Zaiceva, Tugba Cakir, Vladyslava Yesypovych, Peer Hastenteufel, Natalia Rajchel, Pauline Gust, Malte Lars Henningsen, Sabine Ozolina, Maria Dondajewska
Location: Dębina- Sunny Pond
The Sunny Pond, with an intimate character, away from the water intake or bicycle routes – a convenient place to observe feeding birds (such as grey heron, mallard duck, mute swan, goldeneye) as well as others animals (you can spot beavers as well as basking turtles).
Over 130 species of birds have been identified in Łęgi Dębińskie area, including: marsh harrier, kestrel, tawny owl, hoopoe, flycatcher, six species of woodpecker, oriole, wood pigeon, nuthatch, several species of tit, starling, robin, blackbird, thrush, willow warbler, common chiffchaff, wren, grey and rusty nightingale, mallard duck, common pochard and tufted duck, grebe, moorhen, and black stork. The vast majority of them are breeding species, inhabiting all parts of the forest, meadows and ponds. The old Dębina tree stand, in connection with many water reservoirs, is an excellent habitat for birds.
TASK
Birdwatching is becoming an increasingly popular way to spend time in the city. Literature mentions ornithotherapy, pointing to the therapeutic power of noticing birds living next to us humans.
Swedish researcher Marcus Hedblom and his team have conducted an extensive review of publications on the impact of exposure to birds on the well-being of city dwellers, indicating that exposure to these animals improves well-being. Watching and listening to birds sing can create positive memories and reduce the level of stress you feel. Interestingly, these positive reactions become stronger the more bird species we notice. The practice of observing and listening to birds is also a great training for mindfulness, perceptiveness, and memory because it requires focus on sounds, shapes, colours and movement. Birdwatching can therefore be a way to promote health in a time of pandemic, when many people are struggling with complications affecting the nervous system. Importantly, such observations can be made even in the vicinity of the residence.
NEEDS
The observatory is intended to allow convenient observation of the pond surface and the water area for several people, giving the possibility of intimate contact with nature. It should meet several rules:The construction should be designed to allow cover of persons from the lake side, to protect observers from wind and rain and at the same time provide insight into the middle from the side of the path.
– the element should be permanently attached to the ground, which is to ensure its stability. When locating the element, the root system of trees growing in the vicinity should be taken into account,
When designing structures, one should first and foremost take into account safety issues (also for children), and comfort of use,
– side walls can also be a place to post information on the rules of usage. A list of locally occurring bird species, rules for photographing birds prepared by Paweł Kowalczyk or the impact of litter on bird health. The information may be presented, for example, in the form of a QR code.
FINAL RESULTS
The platform is intended to enrich the surroundings without destroying its appearance. Debina forest is a public forest located in one of poznans green corridors next to Warta river. The exact spot of the platform lies on a secluded peninsula. An important part of the project is a great view on the many species of bird that can be viewed from the spot. We are surro- unded by trees, bushes and curvy edge of the shallow pond.
Our structure is a simple, modest platform with visible construction, thin deck, trees included in it and a bench that offers us a perfect view of the birds spot. The object gives us many ways of using it. We can sit on the bench, hidden from the birds view. We can sit and relax on the stones that are sunken in the deck. We can sit on the edge of the deck in the desired direction. Or just simply lie on it.
Tutor: JEJU studio Iwo Borkowicz + Adam Siemaszkiewicz
Architects from Poland
Young architecture practice based in Poland, directed by co-founders and lead architects Iwo Borkowicz and Adam Siemaszkiewicz. Office ambition is to convey contemporary space understanding within forms found somewhere between classical beauty and mundane awkwardness. Architects are fascinated by peculiar forms made with simple lines, raw materials and honest detailing. Can a building tell a joke? A logic is they guide, intuition is the weapon of choice. They like collaborations. They care.