Kręta and Podgórna Streets

Two streets, Kręta and Podgórna, are linking the Old Town hill with lower situated areas. The significant altitude differences give in both cases a chance to create an interesting city landscape as well as to expose attractive views.

Kręta Street is a terrain stair and a pedestrian link, within the quarter of townhouses and detached houses. The project orders the number of steps and narrows stairs’ flights. The space thus regained is dedicated to cosy public “neighbours’ enclaves” with benches and greenery. The highest point of the terrain becomes an open terrace with a retaining wall decorated with an well exposed cast concret relief. Street lightning build-in into benches and handrails, spreads light evenly across the site increasing safety and prevents users from dazzling. New , design enables to use the stairs in various ways:

• as a convenient shortcut (middle straight flight)
• as a place for recreation and walks (lateral, meandering flights and benches)
• as a scene of annual reconstitution performances (extended landings).

Podgórna Street leads from the Market Square towards the river of Wisła. From its highest point both the square and the river can be seen. The project generates a walking route from the Market Square to the boulevards by:

• creating a observation platform at the top of the street,
• a fountain in the form of a stream of water flowing by cascades and thus leading users towards the river,
• terraced platforms stimulating the development of services in adjasent buildings,
  traffic calming,
• planting new trees in the lower parts (preserving the view over the trees’ canopy).