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Poland for Poland

The master thesis project at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk at the Faculty of Architecture and Design, supervised by Doctor Habilitated, Professor Jan Sikora. Poland for Poland is a project of mutual cooperation between two Polands - my European one and the village of Poland in Kiribati, located in the heart of the Pacific Ocean. The aim is to find a cultural bridge between the places where the perception of the world, lifestyle, values and habits of the inhabitants are extremely different and, at the same time, surprisingly similar. The result is a sum of solutions to local problems and meet current needs. One can say that these are gifts given to each other by both Polands. Each community will help the other, without losing anything. FOR OCEANIAN POLAND The project consists of a series of modular objects that solve current problems. Everyone can function independently or in combination with others. They are built of local, easily available and cheap materials, and fit into the cultural landscape and traditions. Individual parts of the coconut palm and plastic garbage were used as building materials. The key module is the recycling center where people will melt plastic into construction materials for all other forms. In response to the problem with access to drinking water, vegetables and fruit, modules with the following functions have been designed: rainwater tank and hydroponics. In the course of considering the modules and their functionality, Kiribati residents saw their home in the project. It turned out that in order to be able to live in the building, it must have a pleasant floor, a roof protecting against the sun and space for everyday items. This module meets all these criteria. Additionally, it is built on stilts, which, in the opinion of the inhabitants, proves its undeniable luxury. The residents asked for a leisure module, which is a slight modification of the residential one. The lower part, used for storing items, has been transformed into a hammock from which you can watch the water entering with the feeling that you are above the problem. Individual modules can be combined in a way that allows to obtain a large space that can serve as a common Manaiba, available to everyone, regardless of religion, which is currently lacking in Poland. Consultations took place via Facebook. I created a group that was joined by about 300 people from Kiribati who were interested in the project. The concept was presented in the local Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Kiribati Institute of Technology and Youth Ministry and was received very positively. Currently, talks are underway on when, how and from what budget this project will be implemented. The project is represented by Chuck Corbett, a local authority. FOR EUROPEAN POLAND What can they offer us? During my numerous conversations and contacts with their culture, I was captivated by their lifestyle - smile, carpe diem, directness. My experience in Kiribati has made me aware of a contemporary problem with which the whole world is struggling, and it has resulted in a project about a tree. Imagine that we are on our favorite Polish beach, we relax, enjoy our free time, enjoy the weather, forget about our duties and worries…. And suddenly a tree comes towards us with the words HIT ME. What do we feel? What do we think? What we do? Does it evoke any reflections in us? Or maybe we will give in to this message without thinking, we will come and hit? There were a few people who decided to do it - nobody succeeded. The structure that houses the PUNCH ME tree is designed in such a way that it cannot be done. The message of this part of the project, a gift for our Poland, is the thought that by trying to harm nature, we are actually doing ourselves harm. Earth existed, it exists, and it will exist. Possibly we humans will become extinct. Links: Facebook group associating fans of the project: https://www.facebook.com/groups/488629888466030 Bryła.pl about Poland for Poland: https://www.bryla.pl/poland-for-poland-czyli-czego-mozemy-nauczyc-sie-od-mieszkancow-wioski-poland-w-panstwie-kiribati Interview for asta24.pl: https://www.asta24.pl/2020/12/12/z-krajenki-na-pomoc-kiribati Defense of the project at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdańsk (time: 0:26-1:06): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_L9lm_d7bk&t=2811s&fbclid=IwAR3k5FXVxulCbRFOK9QcV9akf3II2qZudr62J9Ssqu6pi6pLrpk5mkeSfjY