Ahlqvist & Almqvist Architects are commissioned to plan and design the housing development Portowo, 3 km south-east of the centre of Poznan. This city, 270 km west of Warsaw, has 600,000 inhabitants and is the 5th largest in Poland.
The site, which formerly accommodated a brick yard, a ship yard and a factory for cosmetics, slopes westwards to the river Warta and two river basins which served as clay pits. The proximity to the water is a great quality but also a challenge due to large variations in water level and subsequent risks for flooding.
Within the framework of an existing Regional Plan A&A have worked out an ecologically, socially and economically sustainable master plan. The continued work, in cooperation with Perspective member ELD Poland, will result in a detailed development plan containing approximately 2 000 dwellings with school and services. Student housing and a marina contributes to the diversity of the development.
The first phase, comprised of 450 apartments will be designed by A&A, and ELD Poland will be local architects and responsible for the site development plan. Building permit application is planned during 2011 and work will start on site 2012