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Zgierz Regeneration of Nowe Miasto (New Town) district A joint project of Hochschule Anhalt (Dessau) - Ecole d'Architecture de Lille - Politechnika Łódzka - Fachhochschule Mainz - Ecole d'Architecture de Versailles

Zgierz is a former textile (mostly wool) manufacturing town situated c15kms north of Lodz. It has grown as a typical Central Poland's cultural mixture of Polish burghers, German craftsmen and Jewish tradesmen (it is not easy to specify the exact districts where the minorities used to live - probably by the outbrake of WW2 they tended to be mixed with each other (one may assume originally the Old Town was more Polish and Jewish - the latter occupied particularly southern blocks, the New Town was more German). Today the number of inhabitants is 57,000, almost entirely Polish - the figure has been diminishing slighly within the last ten years. The town faces severe economic problems associated with post-industrial restructuring (unemployment - c20%). Land use policy followed over the last 40 years resulted in urban sprawl as well as inner area decay and desintegration. Nevertheless, Zgierz still has an outstanding complex of historic wooden artisan houses dating back to at least the mid 19C, scattered along most of the streets. There is a long-lasting stereotype that for the present state of the town's core, the preservationists are to blame, who insisted on retaining every historical building and the historical lot pattern.

Jacek Wesołowski

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	planning analyses
	General structure of the town. Position of the New Town, located e1820s, in the inner area of Zgierz. The central area was composed of two poles: the Stare Miasto (Old Town), where the Town Council Offices and RC Parish Church are situated and the Nowe Miasto (New Town) which was more industrial and commercial. The Stare Miasto was a medieval structure, based on irregular street pattern, the Nowe Miasto was a rationally planned district conceived for cloth manufacturers. It comprised altogether c260 habitable lots, supposed to contain a standardised ground floor building (predominantly built of timber) and a vast garden in the rear. Nowe Miasto soon gained bigger mill structures, predominantly situated along the River Bzura, except the renowned Zachert Mill, located right at the main square of the New Town (Nowy Rynek), where the steam engine was introduced as early as in the 1820s. The river itself was culverted in the proximity of its intesection with the main axis of the town (c1920s?). Zgierz was the biggest textile centre in Central Poland until the 1830s, when it was surpassed by Lodz. In 1901 it gained an interurban connection to Lodz, second line crossed Zgierz in 1922 (mainline railway, of 1902, has never played any important role in local transport). Local shops clustered along Długa Street with focuses around both market squares: Stary Rynek (in Old Town) and Nowy Rynek (in New Town, now Plac Kilińskiego), where the tram terminus was situated. drawn by: © Jacek Wesołowski, 2003
	Zgierz - problem od 'sprawl'; systhesis. Showing selected features, existing and proposed. drawn by: © Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-3
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Built-up structure on most town blocks. Showing housing, industrial and commercial buildings, excluding auxiliary buildings of sub-standard character. The blocks have never been built-up with big densities, however the structure has eroded substantially over the last decades. Densities fall to at least 45%. Map with street names. drawn by: © Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-3
	Zgierz, Nowe Miasto - Selected Cultural Values, showing listed buildings and structures as well as selected items of local character - existing and gone. drawn by: © Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-3
	sample buildings
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Photo and ground plan of a cloth master house at 13 Plac Kilińskiego. Built >1825. Originally tiled roof. Ref.: Zgierz - Rewaloryzacja ulicy Długiej, Urząd Miasta Zgierza, 2000
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Photo and ground plan of a cloth master house at 23 ulica 1 Maja. Built >1825. Masonry side walls added c1960. Originally tiled roof. Ref.: Zgierz - Rewaloryzacja ulicy Długiej, Urząd Miasta Zgierza, 2000
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Photo and ground plan of a cloth master house at 25 ulica 1 Maja. Built >1825. Masonry side wall added c1960. Originally tiled roof. Ref.: Zgierz - Rewaloryzacja ulicy Długiej, Urząd Miasta Zgierza, 2000
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Photo and ground plan of a cloth master house at 6 ulica Narutowicza. Built c1850. Originally tiled roof? Ref.: Zgierz - Rewaloryzacja ulicy Długiej, Urząd Miasta Zgierza, 2000
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Photo and ground plan of a cloth master house at 17 ulica Rembowskiego. Built >1825. Masonry side wall added c1960. Originally tiled roof. Ref.: Zgierz - Rewaloryzacja ulicy Długiej, Urząd Miasta Zgierza, 2000
	photo survey
	Location of photos.
1	Zgierz. Plac Kilińskiego (formerly Nowy Rynek - Neuer Ring), the focal point of the Nowe Miasto. New housing at ulica 1 Maja seen in the distance. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
2	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Plac Kilińskiego. To the right site of timber houses, gone in the 1980s. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
3	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Długa. Houses at Nos. 45 and 47, with an unusually scaled, four-storey tenement at No. 49. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
4   4   4	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Długa. House at No. 45. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
5	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Narutowicza at the most valuable, northern portion. Cobblestones still preserved. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
6	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Narutowicza at the crossing with ulica Rembowskiego. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
7	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Narutowicza. It was allowed, by the government rules of the 1820s, to construct timber houses only initially. Later they appeared as well, but some were built in masonry, but still in accordance to original scale. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
8	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Narutowicza. A mid-19C (?) 'copy' of timber house in brick. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
9	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Narutowicza. Entrance door to house No. 8. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
10	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Southern part of ulica Narutowicza seen from the crossing with ulica Długa. To the left empty area once occupied by the Lutheran Church. Local transport is based on buses. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
11  12	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Entrance to the non-existing Baptist Chapel that existed once in the rear of the lot of 33 ulica Narutowicza. After years of abandonment, its modest, but well-built red-brick structure was sold by the church to a private owner, who immediately pulled it down in late spring 2001. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
13  13	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Where the Chapel once stood - the area was 'cleansed' perfectly before the demolishing crew left. The 1970s blocks of flats in the SW New Market block seen in the distance. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
14  14	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Southern part of ulica Narutowicza seen from ulica 3 Maja. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
15  15	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica 3 Maja at the crossing with ulica Narutowicza. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
16	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Photo: Emil Hädler, 2001
17	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
18	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Photo: Emil Hädler, 2001
19  20  20	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. The 1990s built van garage on the brownfields. Terrible location at the edge of the municipal park. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
21  21	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Abandoned Hoffamnn and Krusche mills. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
22	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Municipal museum in the cloth trimmer house, called 'Kruszówka'. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
23	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Space in front of the museum. Ulica Dąbrowskiego - right, ulica Narutowicza - left. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
24	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. The foundry. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
25	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Barlickiego. A mill, long abandoned and partly rebuilt into flats. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
25  25	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Barlickiego. The yard of the mill lot, with an owner's house. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
26	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
27  27	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Ulica Dąbrowskiego. Abandoned textile mills. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001
28	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. The municipal park with the 'Zilke Pond' ('Staw Zilkego'). Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
29	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. The mills seen from the river at ulica Barlickiego bridge. Photo: Jacek Wesołowski, 2001-2
	Zgierz - two air photos can be seen here.
	the task
	Zgierz - Nowe Miasto. Suggested areas of studies. Area A - the core of the Nowe Miasto. Area B - the town and its park. Area C - the river and the town. Area D - the axes of the timber heritage.
	questions & answers
	Q1: Which economic relationships are there between Zgierz and Lodz? A1: Zgierz is a town of 58 000 inhabitants and has the highest unemployment rate of the region (24,3%). It is also part of Lodz urban complex (roughly estimated at 1m inhabitants, but diminishing). That inclines one to believe that many of Zgierz residents seek employment in Lodz. Yet, there are still some people from the rural area outside Zgierz, who are employed in Zgierz. And, although a number of professionals live in Zgierz, there is a group of Lodz residents, who commute to Zgierz. Detailed commuting figures will be published as soon as they are obtained. Statistics show that a lot of goods produced in Zgierz are sold via Kutno to the cities in the North, East and West of Poland, thus, probably, only individual vendors try their luck on the Lodz market. It may be observed that many young people from Zgierz seek not only higher, but also extracurricular education in Lodz. Obviously, in many fields Zgierz cannot provide satisfactory offer therefore its residents use Lodz facilities. It may be assumed that, although Zgierz, having had many jobs in its offer, was not a typical 'bedroom' of Lodz, it remained a kind of satellite town when higher levels od services were involved. It is not clear yet, whether this position has been retained over the last decade. What is clear, however, is the home rule status of Zgierz has grown significantly since 1999. Zgierz is now not only the seat of the Council of the Rural Commune, but also the seat of the District Council. One of the biggest medical facility, the Provincial Hospital, is also situated there, in the block-of-flats area to the North-West. This serves predominantly patients from adjacent areas of the Lodz Province, who are treated there in more complicated cases. Q2: Which means of commuting are in between..? A2: Most important relation is, obviously, Zgierz - Lodz and viceversa. We are now looking for detailed data of commuting to and from Zgierz. Traditionally, since 1901, it is possible to travel to Lodz by an interurban line (now Route 45 terminating at Plac Kilińskiego), in 1922 the second one was built (Route 46). The intervals are decent, about 10 mins peak, 20 mins off-peak, on Route 45, but the ride lasts long, about 30 mins, owing to poor track maintenance and shortage of power in wires. Over the last decade a private bus business has been developed and now it is the quickest way af reaching the city - in most times in c15 mins. The buses follow tram lines, some terminate in Zgierz, some continue North, but all go via Nowe Miasto. There are also private minibuses serving some destinations outside Zgierz and ending up in the town - yet another proof Zgierz attracts some business visitors. The National Road 1, reasonably congested in peak hours, has varying standards, normally 2x1 lane, with central 2x2 lane portion. Car commuting, for those who have one at disposal, is by far the most convenient and the quickiest way of travel. The mainline railway provides infrequent service from the Zgierz railway station situated to the East of the town. There is also a small stop in the northern outskirts, located virtually 'in the middle of nowhere'. Trains are still used by some, who happen to have their itineraries suitably arranged (the railway does not go to the city centre of Lodz, either). Q3: Has Zgierz got any competition in the region by its land uses, it's architecture, it's people? A3: We don't think 'competition' is the right word in this case. What can be observed at the moment is an overall stagnation. It is hardly possible to point out a single function that is unique for Zgierz. Unfortunately, living in Lodz, one never really needs to go there, living around Zgierz one may have to go there to educate, visit a specialist or push forward one's case at an office. Having said that, it should be noticed Zgierz possessed a unique branch of industry, the vast chemical plant that manufactured dyers for textiles. Its condition may now be poor, as is the rest of textile industry in the region. Part of the town's economy may now benefit from small textile factories (or studios rather), that may be competing with similar ones elsewhere in the region. The area around Lodz were set for textile industry. It was the "promised land" and the place to go from ranks to riches if you had the know how in textile industry. There were many towns here which hoped to build their fortune on that. For some time they even did, however the times have changed. Empty factories and warehouses are noticeable in the entire region. Some are being adapted for new functions, most decay at steady rate as dilapidated reminders of a 'glorious' past. So to answer your question, there isn't as much competition in the field of architecture as there is a common poor condition of the entire region. However, it may well be said the number of timber structures and the early date of their erection, poses Zgierz cloth makers cottages among the most special, but sadly overlooked and severely underestimated asset of the whole post-industrial region's built heritage. Timber houses are also something, and, frankly speaking, only specialty of the town that may quickly create a positive image of Zgierz. Lodz is associated with tenements, big mills and ornate industrialists' mansions, Pabianice with the mills and the 16C Bishop's manor, Zduńska Wola has not really much to offer for cultural tourism. But Zgierz has timber house built streets, at the highest time for rescue. Zgierz also was the centre of an agricultural region (there used to be a local market hels every week outside the Old Town). At the moment there seems too be too many people trying to live of the land and the internal market cannot take all the crops. Thus the earnings in that sector are small and agriculture situation is generally difficult in Poland regardless of the region. None the less the use of land for farming purposes in the entire region (Zgierz District falls in-between those values) ebbs from 60 to 70%. Q4: Which groups of people can be distinguished as users, people living, people working in Zgierz? A4: Let's look into occupation data (table in the 2001 Annual Statistical Report of the Lodz Province): Total of people employed in state-run business 1162 Employed in: Industry 676 construction 27 trade and repair 51 education 144 health and social work 65 The data does not incorporate 'economic entities where a number of employees does not exceed 9 persons: on the basis of an actual place work, regardless of entity's localisation (excluding private agriculture)'. From other sources I know that approximately 2000 entities are people "self employed" in one person companies and that 57% of employed people work in companies smaller than 5 people, mostly family business type. There is a strong trend to join agriculture and tourism in a form of small "inns" with country food served to the guests. It is called agriculture tourism and I have found about 20 offers in Zgierz on the net of that sort. Moreover, the Zgierz Official Web Site says the main areas of business activity are: chemical industry textile industry electric and machine production banking (6 units in Zgierz) service orientated business It seems unlikely that many people would come to Zgierz to work. The emigration trend (122 persons in 2001) and the unemployment rate (24.3%) indicate that most who work in Zgierz live there. Additional data will be posted here on arrival. Q5: Does Zgierz suffer from regional distribution of functions (traffic, industry, leisure)? Does it benefit from something like this? A5: The main cause of the town's poor position is the domination of Lodz. Lodz is the cultural and transport node for Zgierz (although some northbound trains do call to Zgierz en route). Zgierz suffers from extensive motor traffic on the National Road and it was incapable of turn it into its asset (only the McDonald's was, having placed their facility across the Old Market Square). Zgierz on its own is too weak to support cultural initiatives - or, perhaps, needs much a bigger concerted action to convince its residents it can. Some years ago it was quite renowned from its jazz club (visited also by Lodz patrons), now long gone. Probably turning this neighbourhood into the machine of growth will be the best formula for Zgierz regeneration. But please bear in mind, Lodz is not an economic giant. In the longer term, construction of the Poznan-Warsaw motorway (some 3 kms to the North of Zgierz) will be looked at as a major source of income by means of off-road commercial development. However, the tax money will go to the rural commune primarily, who may be treated as the strongest advocate of such an investment. This is also a sort of threat to the summer refuge in the surrounding forests (see Q7). Q6: Which connections are between the town of Zgrierz and the surrounding landscape? A6: Zgierz is situated in close proximity to vast forest complexes, of which northern ones are used as sites of summer resorts by Lodz (and Zgierz) residents. These forests rather don't meet the outskirts of the town - there are fields in between. However summer cycling from Lodz across Zgierz or its outskirts may be an interesting pastime and source of limited income, once looked after. Ulica Długa ends up in the East at Łagiewniki Forest, the favourite place of summer rest of Lodz residents, combined with a visit to a Baroque monastery (some 5 kms from the centre of Zgierz). Q7: Which areas are in danger to fall derelict and how do they relate to the surrounding landscape? A7: In terms of pollution, the sanitary zone around the chemical plant is a sort of wasteland. We do not see any terribleenvironmental threats, save the possible impact of the motorway well outside the town borders, or even within the borders when Zgierz road by-pass is to be considered (see the 'sprawl' map). The quality of the surrounding countryside suffers primarily from the worst kind of urban sprawl, including leap-frog patterns on undeveloped land (see below). Q8: How has the river been treated? Has it become spatially integrated? A8: No it hasn't. The river is almost invisible, as it has been covered in the vicinity of its crossing with ulica Długa. The river is the major cause for the existence of the huge pond (called 'Zilke's Pond') in the municipal park, once well treated, now derelict. The local coulcil is considering uncovering the river and constructing the green boulevard along it. This is just an idea, but not a serious plan. In portions where the river is open, it looks like an industrial sewer, though it is not that polluted nowadays. Q9: What are the accesses into the town? A9: Please see Q2. Zgierz may also be accessed from the West (from Aleksandrów) via the church area as well as from the East, via ulica Długa. The access from Lodz splits into two roads: one goes straight on into the Old Town, the other goes directly to Plac Kilińskiego. One can also enter it from the North (from Kutno), the road, unless one turns right, leads into the Old Town again. Q10: Is there a clearly recognizable spatial/ and or functional "middle"? A10: It all depends what you expect. Definitely the 'middle' can be traced in ulica Długa, between the Old Town and ulica Mielczarskiego. But there are plenty of empty lots and the houses have never been taller than two storeys. There are some shops, however. But the main shopping area is the market hall situated on the river immediately to the south of ulica Dłluga. Goods are believed to be cheaper there than in shops. Also some commercial character lurks around a couple of detached shopping pavillons in the new block-of-flats suburb to the West. Q11: Is shopping providing for orientation? A11: To some extent. It distinguishes streets by its very existence. D&322;uga is the shopping street, whatever weak this use is. Stary Rynek (Old Market Square) has some shops, as does Plac Kilińskiego, or what is left of it. Q12: Are there green parks (from which time)? How is the cemetery spatially integrated? A12: The only park at Zgierz is the one with the 'Zilke Pond'. It is completely undefined nowadays, with virtually no edges (begins somewhere, ends somewhere). It is used as a shortcut for local people. It would be an exaggeration to say the cemeteries are integrated. They simply exist somewhere. Q13: Which types of land use and built form are which edges? A13: North - poor single family housing on irregular lots inherited from rural divisions, never made suitable for urban needs. Spatial disorder. Big primary school. Please see the basic map, especially the version you receive by mail. East - Stalinist or similar block-of-flats, probably three-storeyed, with no central heating! Some older buildings not razed. Some workshops and gardens in the south. South - poor single family housing, many of timber, but less attractive. Lots of rural origin. Immediately behind: vast gardens and meadows (perhaps orchards), divided into private lots. At some spot further south new block-of-flat housing (with solar heating, as I was told!). West: medieval planistic structure of the Old Town, with market square (where a Stalinist structure of the Town Concil stands and overwhelms everything). A row of tiny buildings were pulled down for road enlargement as early as in the WW2 (road built dual-carriageway in the 1980-90s), including the chracteristic arched butcher's row (?) at NE corner of ulica Długa. Eastern frontage of the Market Square thus not existing (drive-in McDonald's there). The Parish Church is by far the most representative single building of Zgierz, with its elevated position and soaring spire. Old Town beyond it is, apart from the market square is built-up with small houses, many of them timber. Quite a charming area it could be, once better treated. Please see the Old Town here - upper photo. Q14: Are the edges spatially defined or are they just extended as undefined "interim-zones" in the region? A14: The latter is true. Terribly, awfully true. The biggest problem of polluted countryside, typical for Central Poland's urbanisation and lack of sensible planning. Development, normally leap-frog development of single family houses, detached, semidetached or terraced go everywhere, most eagerly into most interesting ondulating landscape, into forests, in front of the monastery and so on. Unpaved roads, on-air wires, wastelands in between. This is where Polish democracy acts at its most. Tomasz Rymarek & Jacek Wesołowski
	downloads
click right mousebutton to download	Zgierz - inner area. Basic map 1:10,000 (please check the scale with mailed maps), surveyed 1960s. 2,770 kB.

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