Project (block 1) - Objectives of the Project*

The idea of the project is to mark out the values of the Ukrainian city Kamieniec Podolski that are at most its geographic and natural qualities in combination with the cultural heritage of the place. The most essential is exposing the values that somehow got lost over the time – both material, such as destroyed buildings or even the whole city structures, and immaterial, connected rather with the specific spirit of the place, its genius loci, and with the unique multicultural tradition of the city, yet not continuated.

The most adequate site for realising that project seemed to be the ravine of the Smotrycz River that flows gently around the old city centre. Its naked rocky walls made of the Sylurian limestone have a big scientifical value bringing to the city many international groups of scientists. At the same time it is a natural framework for the history of Kamieniec Podolski.

Project (block 2) : Progress, Methodologies and tools used for the Project*

The design concept was preceded by the profound analysis of the architecture as well as cultural transformations of the uniqe urban environment of the Smotrycz River Canyon in Kamieniec Podolski. The research is based on the iconographical and cartographical data collected during the inquiries in the museums, libraries and archives of Poland, Russia and Ukraine. These materials’ surveys were supported by the secondary analysis of teh existing literature on the theme of the city. Moreover the studies were being reinforced for many years by a comparative research “in situ”.



The studies and analysis of the swab let to the creation of a full documentation of almost all the elements constituting the multi-layerd scenery of the Smotrycz River Canyon (since the 15th ‘till the 21st century) with a separation of its three basic surfaces – the natural, cultural and immaterial one. The canyon - the place of rich economic and military activity of the inhabitants, is the only part of the city that realizes all the aspects and criteria of the authenticity as a multi-layered heritage, though the cultural-historic unity in the “proper” city area has been lost through far too extend changes and damages in its spatial construction.

Project (block 3) - Results *

The design activities are limited to the minimal interference into the existing natural and urban context, focused on bringing order and structurising the objects in the space. The new system is subordinated to the strict rules of orthogonal rythms and axis onto which the valuable that objects, both existing and lost ones, thread one by one.



The objects appear in the south-east part of the ravine – at first as an adaptation of the devastated water dam into the bridge with the upper-floor info-box and the small museum of the nature’s treasures. The wooden foot-bridge serves also as the open air gallery space. The architecture of mnimum as well as the simplicity and modernity of the materials - glass and concrete - keep visible the division between the new and the historical structures, between the nature and the man’s work.



The designe respondes also to the needs of the local community by founding a youth house in order to activate this part of the city. The youth centre is meant to be used by children providing them good conditions for a self-developement as well as giving chance to do sports. The building is suitable for other uses: social meetings, conferences, art festivals etc. A part of it may function also as an independent cafe – restaurant with an attractive terrace with a view of the riverside.