The Living Factory

Special features of the new city centre of Dąbrowa Górnicza will include: energy efficiency (construction of buildings and public spaces using energy-saving materials and renewable energy sources – photovoltaic panels, heat pumps), economy and respect for resources, reasonable and economical water management and waste reusing.

Environmentally-based activities:

• plants as an integral part of the urban development,
• plant compositions referring to species naturally present in the area of the Zagłębie – common hornbeam, hawthorn,
• the use of bird, insect and small mammal friendly plants – wildflower meadows, fruit trees and bushes,
• plants “inscribed” in architectural objects, such as the green tunnel of overhead crane space,
• selection of species as an illustration of Dąbrowa Górnicza water reservoirs, the Błędowska Desert and the landscape of Srocza Góra,
• place for trees being the symbols of Dąbrowa Górnicza: pedunculate oaks,
• use of the so called green retention roofs on 17 facilities.

In the area of the Living Factory, greenery will have also the following functions:

• representative, accompanying the urban layout, in the form of green zones- linear compositions that define the course of traffic routes and the location of buildings,
• insulating and protecting, due to using the species of deciduous trees and shrubs as well as climbers, which reduce noise and air pollution.

The Living Factory employed the concept of the so-called sponge city, meaning that green gardens and a system for collecting and reusing rainwater were planned on all roofs of the new buildings. Bike rentals, also for electric bikes and their charging stations, photovoltaic panels, heat pumps were located in the “city in the city”. Car charging stations were planned on all parking lots.

The implementation of the project will result in a permanent transformation of Dąbrowa Górnicza – from a city associated with coal mining, dominated (in the functional, urban and social context) by industrial factories – into a city with strong service facilities, a place of high quality of life, attractive urban complex.

The development of active city, engaging residents in public initiatives was planned in the project area. Additionally, the Living Factory will be a place where creative industry sectors are blooming, where talent and technology are brought together.

The construction of a new cultural space in the Factory’s industrial premises will be an excellent field for various activities, interactions and investments – the planned activities cover the whole spectrum of subjects such as ecology, transport, business support, cultural development or civil society development.

Here, the co-operation will play a key role, encouraging the residents, non-governmental organisations, artists, activists, cultural institutions and local entrepreneurs to be the co-creators of events and activities. So that all of them together could make this area a place vibrant with life, culture and locality. This will allow to create an interesting platform for exchanging ideas, knowledge and skills between the creators and audience. Artistic and cultural projects such as concerts, theatre performances, workshops, seminars and conferences are extremely important for every community.

It will also be the place for running local service businesses for residents (the offer of “vanishing professions”). Public spaces and semi-public/ shared spaces were designed adequately to human scale and needs by: banning road traffic and introducing a calm traffic zone in the neighbourhood, the dominant role of urban greenery, small architecture, an extensive range of restaurants as well as wide cultural, entertainment and business development offer.

In the former DEFUM machine tool factory, in the very centre of Dąbrowa Górnicza, we are creating a unique space that combines industrial traditions of the region with contemporary expectations of exceptional tenants and demanding customers. We do this with respect for historical heritage. We save valuable architectural and structural elements. Elements that needed to be dismantled due to its poor condition will gain new life after the revitalisation.

The special features of the new Dąbrowa Górnicza city centre will include:

• references to Zagłębie-related identity of place,
• halls named after the districts of Dąbrowa Górnicza, e. g.  Ząbkowicka, Łosieńska, Tworzeń,
• streets, squares and courts named after former owners of Defum factory: Emil Škoda, Zieleniewski Brothers, Wilhelm Fitzner and Konrad Gamper,
• boards illustrating the history and original use of revitalised facilities in front of the halls’ entries,
• information boards about the districts of Dąbrowa Górnicza,
• historical city map embedded in the flooring,
• mock-up of the Living Factory and Defum factory,
• – open-air display cases,
• historic objects reminding coal mining background of Zagłębie Dąbrowskie: mining hoisting wheels, underground railway from KWK Kazimierz Juliusz mine in Sosnowiec.