The city that was given the green light

The term ‘Expo’ is generally used for cyclical international public events organised under the aegis of the Bureau International des Expositions (BIE) in partnership with state governments. The BIE supervises three categories of events: World Expos, which are the largest and most prestigious; Specialised Expos, which are smaller events that always have a specific theme; and the Horticultural Expo – held to showcase green issues, environmental protection and sustainable development. The right to hold this event is awarded by the International Association of Horticultural Producers (AIPH) but has to be confirmed by the BIE.

Switching from a specialised focus

In 2018 Łódź was awarded the right to host the Horticultural Expo (also known as the ‘Green Expo’). But why was Łódź chosen as the venue? “Prior to this, in 2017, Poland applied to host a Specialised Expo in Łódź, but Argentina beat us by a few votes,” recalls Maciej Riemer, the director of the City of Łódź’s environment and climate department and the manager in charge of the Horticultural Expo project. “We wanted to use what we had already invested to promote a different aspect of Łódź and Poland. So we immediately shifted the focus of our attention from the Specialised to the Horticultural Expo. A new application had to be prepared and submitted to the verification committee; after that, every half year you have to draw up a report on what steps have been taken,” he explains. Once the right to hold the event had been provisionally awarded, a feasibility study then had to be prepared. The city held a tender for this in August 2018, and so between November 2018 and the end of 2019, the feasibility study was finally drawn up by a consortium led by PwC and Chapman Taylor. However, several Expo events then had to be rescheduled due to the pandemic, starting with the World Expo in Dubai, which was meant to begin in October 2020, but has in the end been moved to October 2021 and is to continue until March 2022. This had a knock-on effect on the date of the Horticultural Expo in Qatar, which was moved back from 2021/2022 to 2023/2024; and this, in turn, resulted in the Horticultural Expo in Łódź being put off until 2029.

Pictures of the exhibition

According to the recently published master plan, the Expo in Łódź will take place on an 80 ha site in the city centre. It will cover two parks (3 Maja and Baden-Powell), as well as the grounds around the Medical University of Łódź and part of the former industrial area known as Zatorze. This is a revolutionary project – and not only because of its unprecedented scale, but also because Horticultural Expos in the past have always been held on undeveloped land on the outskirts of cities. However, Maciej Riemer has no doubt that holding the event in central Łódź is a good idea, because the land on which it will take place is to be transformed into a new part of the city. “Having such an attraction in the centre of the city makes it more accessible, which means it will attract more visitors. Of course, there are always going to be some problems with holding it in the centre, such as the lack of large open areas, since we are talking about parts of the city that are already developed. On the other hand, we can use the existing municipal transport system, and that lowers the cost of the entire project,” he points out. The master plan drawn up in consultation with the city and 50 other organisations divides the area into four themed zones, one of which is the Nature of Rest in the 3 Maja Park. In this, woodland and water environments are to be showcased as areas for family recreation as well as for exercise for people of all ages. Another zone is the Nature of Life, with its main area being the Baden Powell Park, which is also where the main exhibition space for the hosts of the Expo is to be – the Poland and Łódź pavilions, which are to be surrounded by the Gardens of Four Cultures. It will also be the location for the National Gardens, where other countries will hold their exhibitions, while also featuring an amphitheatre and a viewing tower. The next theme is the Nature of Health in Zieleniec, which will include environmentally friendly design innovations, along with the EcoUMed Health Academy’s horti-therapy programme, Gardens of Healthy Food, Clean Air and Water, the Gardens of the Senses and the Circular Village. The last theme is the Nature of Business in Zatorze district, which will host conferences, seminars, science meetings and business networking, with a focus on exchanging ideas for improving the quality of life.

Recouping the outlay

“Holding the Horticultural Expo forms part of the city’s long term development strategy, under which we intend to introduce many more green areas to create pocket gardens as well as woonerfs. We have also drawn up a concept for more than 120 km of green routes to form a fundamental part of our Blue-Green Network, which is our urban plan to connect the city to its green surroundings, its landscape parks and forests as well as its rivers, lakes and waterways,” explains Aleksandra Zentile-Miller, the director of Chapman Taylor in Poland. Maciej Riemer insists that the improvements to these green routes are of strategic importance to the city: “Our plan is to draw people into Łódź by renovating the green areas of the city. It’s important to us that those places that are worth seeing are easily accessible, including to pedestrians and cyclists,” he explains. He also stresses how the event will promote the economy and also the political exhibition, because such events attract world attention. “We want the Expo to drive our development over the next 15–20 years by attracting both tourists and investors to Łódź,” insists Maciej Riemer. A world event held over several months comes, however, at a huge cost. According to 2019 estimates, the Horticultural Expo is to cost around PLN 1.2 bln, but that figure is certain to change before the event opens. “Normally half the costs for such an event are recouped from ticket sales and sponsorship,” says Maciej Riemer. The sale of properties will also generate income after the event. “That leaves around PLN 600–700 mln that we will have to find ourselves. After factoring in the state and EU subsidies for environmental projects, the city will be left with net costs of PLN 300–400 mln,” adds Maciej Riemer.

Exhibitors from 43 countries are expected to be in attendance, including international organisations, sponsors and partners. Over the six months it is held, the Expo is expected to attract 4.5 mln visitors. Maciej Riemer is of the view that the Horticultural Expo could open up new approaches for local authorities related to such areas as the city’s greenery and environmental conservation. The Horticultural Expo is also an opportunity for Poland to present itself as a country open to sustainability ideals and that respects the environment. “I hope that the exhibition will wipe some of the stain off Poland that it has built up due to its reliance on coal and the felling of the Białowieża forest,” believes Maciej Riemer.