Tea-riffic! Town celebrates 230-year-old ceramic history with tea-themed square
At a time when Polish town squares have come under increasing flak for their narrow-minded redevelopment concepts, the town of Ćmielów has opted for an entirely original approach and is to introduce a range of wacky installations inspired by the town’s heritage.
Celebrating the ceramic industry for which it is known across Poland for, core features will include twenty benches set either inside, or book-ended by, XL-sized porcelain-style teacups.
Stealing the limelight will be a spectacular fountain positioned within a giant saucer. Recalling Lewis Carrol’s ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’, the design will see water flowing into a teacup from a teapot seemingly suspended in the air.
Stealing the limelight, however, will be a spectacular fountain positioned within a giant saucer. Recalling Lewis Carrol’s ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’, the design will see water flowing into a teacup from a teapot seemingly suspended in the air.
Briefing the media about the concept’s progress, Mayor Joanna Suska said: “Currently, the cups are undergoing technical processes and are being varnished by a specialist firm in Radom – they will appear here in the coming weeks.”
Mayor Joanna Suska said the hardest part was creating the teapot which will hang in the air and pour water into the fountain.
She added: “We need to complete all these procedures first. The cups were created by a company that manufactures the hulls of boats and they have been built using a material that is durable and strong enough to resist being dented.
“The hardest part though was creating the teapot which will hang in the air and pour water into the fountain. Detailed calculations were carried out by the designer Artur Wieczorek, and the hydration system is also very innovative.”
Detailed calculations for the teapot fountain were carried out by the designer Artur Wieczorek who introduced an ‘innovative hydration system’.
Aside from having to meet stringent safety requirements, the project also necessitated copyright permission being granted – rather than just mimicking any random tea set, the project was directly inspired by one that was designed in the 1920s specifically for President Ignacy Mościcki.
“The idea itself is very original,” said the Mayor. “As a native of Ćmielów, I have always wanted to emphasise the achievements and traditions of the commune in the production of porcelain.
Costing just over PLN 5 million, around 95% of this figure has been covered by the government’s Polski Ład programme, with the rest of the money coming from City Hall’s coffers.
“Now, tourists will be able to see what we are famous for in large format. Residents, meanwhile, stand to gain a place of rest, relaxation and leisure.”
Costing just over PLN 5 million, around 95% of this figure has been covered by the government’s Polski Ład programme, with the rest of the money coming from City Hall’s coffers.
Many have praised the project for the dynamic manner in which it celebrates an industry that has thrived in the town for over 230-years.
Already, many have praised the project for the dynamic manner in which it celebrates an industry that has thrived in the town for over 230-years.
Now in its very final stages, the project is set to be unveiled this coming August.
