Toda garden, Warschau

Ontwerp: 2014

Team:  Mariëlle Kok, Esther Kruit en Aleksandra Gabryś, in samenwerking met Piotr Szcześniak, Tim Kouthoofd, Łukasz Górzyński (Bygg architecten)

Status plan: Prijsvraaginzending, genomineerd 

Bygg Architecture and Kruit | Kok Landscapearchitects have participated as a team in the competition to commemorate Poles who rescued Jews during the German occupation. The competition has been organized by Remembrance and Future Foundation. The location is the park surrounding the Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. The jury has rewarded the project with a honorable mention.

Toda (הדות) means "thank you" in Hebrew and forms the name for the monument: Toda Garden. Toda Garden is a living monument, showing humble gratitude for the highest sacrifice that citizens in Poland brought to help others; that is the sacrifice of life itself. Toda Garden is a monument that aims to spark the dialogue about the roles of people in society; not in a grim dark way, but in a playful attractive lively park, which invites everyone to use it. The park is perfectly integrated in the urban tissue of its surroundings.

The complexity of relations between communities, nations and peoples has been captured in different layers of the monument and the park superimposed on top of each other.

Gratitude is displayed by the three paths which visualize the sound waves of the words ‘Thank You’ in five languages

Dialogue is displayed by two streams of water, which spring out of two wells and merge into a large pool where the two streams interact. The water level varies depending on rain water spill over from the roof of the museum.

Life is displayed in the landscape surrounding the paths. The landscape consists of organic patches with small hills and different planting in different heights.

Intimacy is provided by the additional triple row of trees framing Toda Garden completely on three sides. The museum forms the fourth side of the frame. The rows of trees provide a transition between the busy city life and the quiet garden.