Newster: Exploring the Initiation of Lodz's First Pedestrianized School Zone
A Local Effort to Transform a Busy Polish Street
Karolina Taczalska, a concerned mother, and Mateusz Cyganek, her colleague, have embarked on a mission to make Czerwona Road in Łódź, one of the city's busiest routes, more child-friendly. Dubbed Od-Nowa Czerwona, the project will be realized by summer 2025, but the notable aspect is the pair's successful rallying of a community to get their vision off the ground.
Czerwona Road, connection between the east and west sides of Łódź, experiences heavy traffic, making it a hurdle for Karolina Taczalska to slow down its flow. Her son's school, located on Czerwona, has prompted her concern due to various issues, such as dangerous pedestrian routes, limited cycle access, lack of safe crossings, and air pollution.
Unaware of the school's presence due to the numerous cars, most residents found the idea of a child-friendly street surprising. However, Karolina Taczalska's resolve to act led to a collaboration with Mateusz Cyganek, a colleague from her architectural studio, Design Lab Group.
The initial aim was not a school street; instead, Mateusz Cyganek had a keen interest in transforming public spaces through prototyping – a method rarely used in Poland. The project’s inception was backed by the Łódź chapter of the Polish Association of Architects (Stowarzyszenie Architektów Polskich Oddział Łódź – SARP), of which they both were members.
Coined 'Od-Nowa', meaning 'renew' or 'reimagine', the project aims to transform Czerwona from a dominantly vehicle-oriented street into one offering pleasant, safer spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter users. The focus is not on banning cars but on shifting road priorities for a more livable city.
To demonstrate the urgent need for action, the team placed a poster in the school asking children to mark their daily commute on a grid. The results were disheartening – only three children arrived by bike, the rest were driven in private cars, leaving road user behavior in question. By setting up cameras during peak hours, they captured evidence of cars obstructing pavements and reducing accessibility for pedestrians and children.
Following this, the vision focuses on making Czerwona a 'Road of Red & Green'. Infrastructure implementations, though small and cost-effective, are planned in a way that cars cannot encroach on the sidewalks. These changes will provide added benefits to the authorities by reducing maintenance and repair costs.
The project's roadmap includes public participation and prototyping workshops to involve the community and receive feedback on the proposed changes. The inaugural session took place at the 2024 Łódź Design Festival, where participants were asked to assess problems for cyclists, car owners, and students before putting together concepts addressing their needs. A tent on the street was then set up for additional workshops to discuss the street's challenges from different perspectives.
Throughout the workshops, participants were encouraged to mark ideas on a three-dimensional map created by children from the nearby school. This shared vision will guide the team in proposing prototype interventions they plan to implement by mid-2025, pending permits and funding.
Despite initial resistance from the city council, Od-Nowa Czerwona found unexpected support from the local residents through the participatory budget. The budget offers local projects a chance to go to a public vote, competing for funding. The clear value of their concept and the widespread awareness of the project catalyzed by the participatory process helped Od-Nowa secure the full funding required for prototyping.
Looking ahead, the team is optimistic about the ongoing impact of Od-Nowa Czerwona, with city authorities acknowledging the need for infrastructure improvements on the school street. Convinced that community-led projects and keeping a positive mindset are crucial, the team looks forward to completing the planned interventions, eating the cake in little bites and learning from any challenges along the way.
- Karolina Taczalska and Mateusz Cyganek, inspired by the need for a child-friendly environment, plan to transform Czerwona Road, a busy street in Łódź, into a 'Road of Red & Green'.
- The collaborative project, named Od-Nowa Czerwona, aims to create pleasant, safer spaces for pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter users, focusing on shifting road priorities for a more livable city.
- To gather community support, the team organized participatory workshops during the 2024 Łódź Design Festival, where residents shared their needs and proposed solutions for the street's challenges.
- For the project's success, the team seeks to partner with various sectors such as fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, home-and-garden, travel, education-and-self-development, general-news, and sports by collaborating with local businesses and educational institutions, promoting a holistic lifestyle change in the community.
