Professor Piotr Lorens - the architect of the City of Gdańsk | Gdańsk University of Technology

Over 70 percent of urbanized areas in Gdańsk is covered with spatial development plans. This is one of the highest rates in the country. The newly created plans more and more precisely regulate such parameters as building lines, service frontages, green areas. The competences of the City Architect will consist in the implementation of spatial policy, cooperation with investors and dialogue with the inhabitants of Gdańsk, in order to harmoniously develop the city and meet the needs of many social groups.

The election of prof. Piotr Lorens took place through an open competition announced on 5 February. Five people entered the competition, which required the presentation of their own, original vision of urban development of the city. Four of them met the formal requirements and started the next stage.

– Professor Piotr Lorens presented us with the most convincing vision in which direction Gdańsk should go, and on the other hand, he has a great awareness of the legal conditions and in-depth knowledge of construction processes - explained Piotr Grzelak, deputy president for sustainable development, during the press conference informing about the results of the competition.

– I am very happy and welcome professor Piotr Lorens on the board of the Gdańsk city team - said Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, the president of Gdańsk, presenting the new director – There are a lot of challenges awaiting the professor, but I believe that he will expertly use his knowledge and diverse experience, not only related to Gdańsk, but also to numerous other projects requiring discussion with various communities.

When asked by journalists about the first decisions in the new position, Professor Piotr Lorens mentioned three main tasks: preparation of a vision for the development of Gdańsk City center, in-depth and intensified work on the green strategy for the city and exchange of experiences and ideas with experts in shaping urban space not only from the local environment, but also nationwide.

– I hope that my experience, both theoretical and practical, related to shaping urban structures, the transformation of the city and its planning will be of use to the city of Gdańsk and we will achieve success together by building a friendly city - said Prof Piotr Lorens. - This requires building a different way of discussing the shape of land use planning with all stakeholders, even before the plans are drawn up. I hope that all partners from the social, private and investment sectors will be willing to undertake such cooperation.

Prof. Piotr Lorens will start his work as a City Architect and director of the Department of Architecture and Town Planning on 12 April.

Prof. Piotr Lorens became the head of the Department of Urban Design and Regional Planning in 2007. He focused his practical interests towards the broadly understood issues of balancing the development of urban structures, especially planning and implementing revitalization projects, planning sustainable spatial development of cities and communes, as well as the transformation of degraded urban structures. Currently (since September 2015) he is the President of the Main Board of TUP and - since 2011 - the vice-president of the International Association of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP). He also manages the Problem Team for Urban and Metropolitan Areas in the National Spatial Development Committee of the Polish Academy of Sciences

The full scientific profile of Professor Piotr Lorens, PhD, DSc, Eng., Arch can be found on the MOST Wiedzy website.