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Fabryka Samochodów Osobowych (FSO) in Warsaw was the mainstay of Polish industry for much of the 20th century. Starting in 1948, it produced 4 million vehicles in 60 years and provided employment to more than 20,000 people annually. Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Poland’s new government privatized the factory. Subsequently, General Motors acquired FSO in 1994. Eventually, GM shut down operations at the plant in 2011 following a series of trade deals between the United States and South Korea.
Now, 6.5 million square feet of industrial land on the east bank of the Vistula River is being planned as a new residential area called FSO Park, which local city officials call a “green district of the future.” Polish firm WXCA Architects’ design was inspired by the teachings of urbanist Jan Gehl. When completed, the new district will house 17,000 residents in a grid of walkable mid-rise buildings set on comfortable streets and even a lagoon that meanders through the complex. Architects say that by 2050, another 13,000 people will find work in the area.
While the construction project marks a significant amount of new construction, the architects also chose to preserve the site’s industrial past. Fragments of the original foundry, assembly and welding shops were preserved. These fragments will form the walls of the future main square. To further reinforce the industrial theme, the buildings feature sawtooth roofs, a common form in the early 20th century, allowing skylights to flood the factory floors with light.
The project was carried out in collaboration with urban planners from SAWAWA, another Polish office, and Buro Happold. The future area is planned on a grid along the main axis: a mile-long linear park at the center, providing residents with 1 million square feet of green space. Branching off the main axis are grid-like blocks that will house housing, commercial space and offices.
Architects say this will create what New Urbanists call a “15-minute city” where all life’s necessities are within walking or cycling distance. WXCA and SAWAWA are also proposing to build a new school complex in the middle of the district that would include a sports and leisure campus covering approximately 375,000 square feet.
To maximize the walkability of the area, planners allocated a ring road to facilitate motor vehicle access. This minimizes vehicle traffic, making the central area safe for pedestrians and making the area environmentally friendly. Buro Happold’s commitment to walkability is further reinforced by the planned 100% groundwater retention system, power generation system and energy sharing system to ensure a green development in the area.
“The first challenge we set ourselves was to design a space conducive to building community and social connections within it. At WXCA, we follow in the footsteps of Professor Jan Gehl and believe that a city begins between buildings.” WXCA CEO Marta Sękulska-Wrońska said.
WXCA architect Małgorzata Dembowska added: “This project poses a unique challenge because it asks us the question of what cities should look like in the coming decades and how they should function. After all, what is modern today may be in 10 It becomes obsolete after a few years, which is why timeless values are at the heart of the project, focusing on the needs of the individual and the identity of the place.”
The first phase of the project is scheduled to launch in 2026. More than 17,000 residents are expected to move into the area by 2050.
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