Echo Investment has launched "Patchwork Łódź" - an architectural and urban competition for students of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning. The task is to develop a concept for a public space project on the premises of Karol Scheibler's former textile factory. The competition has been held under the Honorary Patronage of the Mayor of the City of Łódź. Mr. William J. Sebring, an architect, and a partner at the renowned STIR Architecture studio in Amsterdam will be one of the members of the jury. The participants will compete for attractive prizes.

The participants are to design an urban and architectural concept for the southern part of the revitalization area in the Łódź 1st Big City Zone. First of all, it should include public spaces on the premises of Karol Scheibler's former textile plant, where Echo Investment has started the construction of the multi-functional Fuzja investment. The project will consist of four residential buildings with over 600 apartments, as well as offices with a total area of about 40,000 sqm. The historic buildings will also have space dedicated for services, shops, and restaurants - a total of about 15,000 sqm. New city squares, shared spaces, and green areas will be created, occupying almost 4 hectares. Fuzja’s residents and users will be able to take advantage of numerous amenities, including car-sharing services, bike paths, bicycle service stations, parcel lockers, and electric chargers.

“Another part of Karol Scheibler's former factory empire is changing. Księży Młyn, just as it was once a city within the city, also maintains its diversity today”, says Hanna Zdanowska, the Mayor of Łódź. “Offices, shops, restaurants, the Academic Design Center, service outlets, and hotel rooms are being built next to the apartments. Here, the industrial spirit of the place and multifunctionality are preserved, which means that everyone can use this space. Investors do not close their projects but open them to their surroundings so that they become an integral part of the city. As part of development investments, high-quality public and public spaces are created. It is even more pleasing that students are invited to design them. Cooperation between business and science has brought exciting results more than once, and I am convinced that it will be the same for this project”, adds Hanna Zdanowska.

"We want the part of Łódź where we are creating Fuzja to be a friendly and lively place. The post-factory quarter, until now not available to the public, will be transformed into an open, public space encouraging social interaction," says Anna Malarczyk-Arcidiacono, Project Director. „Brick warehouses and production buildings will see new users of offices, hotels, apartments, as well as various service and gastronomy offer. We go beyond the investment area by integrating Fuzja with the existing urban tissue. The whole space is essential to us and includes green areas and public squares. A creative approach to designing it is fundamental to create a place where everyone will live a more pleasant life. We encourage students of architecture and urban planning to carefully look at the space of Karol Scheibler’s former empire and develop interesting ideas that can improve the quality of life of its users,” adds Anna Malarczyk-Arcidiacono.

The competition is open only for students of universities or departments of architecture, urban planning or spatial planning. The full competition entry should consist of a graphic, a descriptive, and a digital component.

The investor, in cooperation with renowned architectural studios, has prepared attractive prizes, including: a trip to a monthly apprenticeship to Amsterdam to the STIR Architecture studio, along with the costs of accommodation, and a monthly apprenticeship in the Medusa Group architectural studio in a selected location (Warsaw or Bytom), with the organizer covering the costs of accommodation. Also, all winners of the first three prizes will be invited for a 4-day trip to Amsterdam and Utrecht. They will be accompanied by an employee of the STIR Architecture office who will show the latest projects of the studio.

One can take part in the competition individually or in 2-person teams.

Applications for the competition are accepted until November 15, 2019, via the website www.fuzja-echo.pl/patchwork. Contest entries should be submitted by the end of February 2020. The results of the competition will be announced, and prizes and distinctions will be awarded on March 31, 2020.

The competition media patrons are ARCH, a magazine issued by Poland's Architects Association SARP, Architecture & Business magazine, architektura.info, Architektura-Murator monthly, Bryla.pl portal, sztuka-architektury.pl and sztuka-krajobrazu.pl websites, dlastudenta.pl website, as well as student radio "Żak" broadcasted by the Łódź University of Technology.