But the architecture of the capital of Poland already knows how to surprise. During the Second World War, the city was destroyed three times; by the time of its liberation, more than 80% of the buildings were in ruins. However, now you can walk through the Old Town, past the restored Barbican, St. John's Cathedral, and a 10-minute walk from them to see the university library.
Quotes, sheet music and formulas on the facade
The library, built at the beginning of the last century, was already pretty dilapidated and outdated by the end of the century. And in 1993 an open international competition was announced for the design of its new building. Construction work on the site near the Vistula began in 1995, and in 1999 university students were already able to visit the new library on the embankment.
In the competitive terms of reference, a mandatory item was the creation of a botanical garden next to the library. The winners of the competition, Marek Budzinski and Zbigniew Badowski, proposed to make the botanical garden a university one, combining it into one whole with an exploited roof. The site, away from dense urban development, gave the architects creative freedom, and they came up with a soft, streamlined building. The asymmetry of the composition gave it dynamics, and the cladding of the facades with patinated copper panels with quotes and formulas gave it a recognizable look. And the greenery smoothly "climbs" to the roof of the building, forming a single multi-level space for relaxation. This technique, plus the low height and "classic" appearance of the other three facades, provided the monumental building with a harmonious entry into the panorama of the city from the Vistula side.
Ramps, paths and stairs lead to the upper levels, where the roof gardens are located - to a riot of smells and colors. They were designed by landscape architect Irena Baerskaya using ZinCo technologies (Germany). These technologies are in demand in Russia as well, primarily due to the popularity of projects of the roofing and landscape company "Tsinko RUS".
Rooftop garden with a maze of paths
The hanging garden on the roof of the library turned out to be one of the largest and most beautiful in Europe. Landscaping area was more than 10,000 m2… The garden is divided into two parts - upper and lower. The upper one, in turn, is divided into several sections, each with its own scenario of forms, color, aroma and mood. These are gold, silver, carmine and green gardens. A gently sloping green ramp leads to the roof, turning into the contours of the gazebo above the glass dome of the library. The upper garden is connected to the lower bridges, a gentle slope and a system of cascading pools. In them, rainwater collected on the roof flows down in streams. As a result, multicolored plants and water became an integral part of architecture, which made possible the ZinCo system with special drainage and storage elements.
Despite the modern landscape design, the roof of the university library amazes with its "palace" elegance. Here, the role of marble vases was given to ventilation devices, and pavilions - to glass domes above the reading rooms. Cascades of water, "cosmogonic" sculpture, skillful spatial subjects - all this turns the green roof of the library into real gardens of Babylon or the parterres of Versailles. Citizens now come here to socialize or enjoy the stunning views of Warsaw. For many tourists, this roof remains one of the strongest impressions of visiting the Polish capital: a complete delight! Material provided by the company "Tsinko RUS"
