Breathing new life into post-industrial landscapes - lessons from Warsaw

Many cities in Poland are undergoing rapid regeneration, which is turning old, unused areas into new vibrant spaces. Across the country, around 20% of urban areas have been identified as being in need of regeneration. But in the realisation of this goal, the industrial legacy of the area must be considered to ensure that the development is carried out safely and any historic contamination is correctly managed.

Taking the recent redevelopment of the Norblin Factory in Warsaw as an example, RSK Polska Director Aleksander Śpiewak, a specialist in contaminated land management, explores why it is so important to manage industrial legacies and the benefits of doing so, offering lessons in the success of post-industrial regeneration. Poland has a rich industrial heritage that Aleksander finds is being celebrated and preserved as projects revitalise more and more the country’s historic sites.

Aleksander’s thoughts are available to read in full now in PBC Today.