The Botanic Garden in Myślęcinek (district of Bydgoszcz). Project of Edward Bartman, dating back to 1977, in a new, “habitat” type

Joanna Dudek-Klimiuk

doi:10.5277/arc170304

Abstract

In this article, the project of the Botanic Garden in Bydgoszcz, as developed by Edward Bartman was created at the end of the 1970s has been presented. The main emphasis was put on the adopted idea of the project and not on its current state as the degree of implementation of the project and the changes, being introduced during the mentioned process (inter alia, lack of the central entrance part in the project with the richest assumed programme) have significantly disturbed the author’s vision of the garden in the sphere of composition as well as its functions. There was also omitted information on the present plant reserves because they constitute a separate problem. The project of the Bydgoszcz garden is an example of the modern approach to landscape architecture, breaking down the earlier schemes of constructing botanic gardens, treated as a place for accumulation of the possibly greatest number of plant species, arranged mainly according to a systematic key. In the intention of the author, it was to be an object which strongly emphasizes the relations between man and nature, with respect to natural laws and ecology principles. At the same time, it was founded on conformity with the contemporary tendencies of constructing botanic gardens – as a suburban object (due to a greater area and ensuring further development) and one of the elements of multifunctional object, i.e. park of culture. The basic source material included original drawings and elaborations, coming from private collections of Prof. E. Bartman, the main architect of the Garden. When analyzing the form (composition) and program of the discussed garden, we may distinguish three basic ideas, according to which it was constructed: respecting the naturally o curring plant habitats which outline the compositional frames and the species selection (philosophical and economical aspects); opening of the object to the recreational and cognitive needs of man, with preservation of almost complete availability of the object (owing to, inter alia, giving up of fencing and introduction of attractive, all-year functioning program – museum, auditorium, cafe houses and winter gardens). The mentioned combination allowed creating the original, going ahead project. Unfortunately, the project assumptions have been only partially implemented and functioning of the discussed object has been impaired.

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