Previous state
In Mokotów, one of Warsaw’s most central districts and a rapidly growing residential area, stands the phenomenal Warsaw Uprising Mound Park. This mound was originally a dumping ground for the rubble of the city destroyed during the Second World War. The dump was used from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s, during which time it gradually became an artificial elevation reaching 35 metres above the surrounding flat, marshy terrain. In the 1970s the mound was filled with spontaneous vegetation, which developed into a ruderal “forest”.
In the 1990s, on the initiative of one of the participants in the Warsaw Uprising, a memorial was erected on the top of the mound with symbols of the Polish resistance movement during the Second World War. This modest initiative, which preceded the official state narrative, turned the site into a venue for annual commemorations of the Warsaw Uprising.
However, this did not change the public perception of the mound, which was considered hard to access and unsafe. For decades it remained a degraded area, a contaminated site, a reclaimed wasteland.
Aim of the intervention
In response to the veterans of the uprising who initiated this transformation, the space was to become both a place of remembrance and a regular recreational area for the residents of the new housing developments that were being built around it. The project aimed to emphasise the historical authenticity of the site and its connection to the great collective effort of Warsaw’s post-war reconstruction. It also sought to draw attention to the techniques of reusing building materials of the time, by implementing recycling technology to create rubble concrete. Another priority was to preserve the existing invasive and ruderal vegetation, which provided key ecosystem services to the city. A BioBlitz study conducted with local residents revealed the low level of biodiversity on the mound, highlighting the need to enrich the habitat by linking it to ecological corridors. A secondary objective was to encourage users to appreciate the aesthetics of the recycling present in the project and to value its authenticity.
Description
Efforts focused mainly on adapting the mound to the needs of all users. Due to the complex terrain, this required the creation of footbridges and artificial gullies. With the help of concrete specialists, technology was used to make concrete from the rubble. The slopes of the resulting gullies resemble the geological layers of an anthropogenic mound, and serve as a record of the daily manual work of the workers. The project also included recreational features, with the creation of numerous resting and walking areas, including a children’s playground.
In terms of vegetation, a planting plan was developed in collaboration with a specialist in phytosociology. This was based on an analysis of the natural processes initiated by pioneering and invasive species, followed by a model for new ecosystems. As part of the education and outreach work, an outdoor exhibition on the reconstruction of Warsaw and the new type of landscape it created was set up in collaboration with a historian and a nature educator.
Assessment
This park is a clear testimony to the post-war reconstruction of Warsaw and also anticipates modern circular economy criteria. On the one hand, the project has strengthened the local population’s sense of belonging to the site, as they now better understand its history and can aesthetically appreciate the use of the rubble that formed the mound. On the other hand, the project has provided the city with a new green space that is resilient to climate change, thanks to landscape management strategies and the spontaneous nature that has grown on the mound, which has also reduced maintenance costs. The result has improved access to the park, making it easier to use and more secure for visitors. For these reasons, the redevelopment has significantly improved the quality of life of the local community and strengthened its relationship with the mound, thereby strengthening the community itself.
[Last update: 04/11/2024]
