Public Space
@. Skwer Wiecha
architect. MAAS
finished. 2006/2008
This passage first came into being in the period between1963-69 with the construction of the department stores Wars and Sawa. Over time these fell into desrepair. Now they're renovated house a modern shopping center, one in tune with Warsaw's urban fabric (a rarity!). The exterior has been updated - it is crisp and modern while the exterior behind Marszalkowska forms a long pedestrian passage. This passage is well planned, it is long but is broken up with cozy 'parks' for sitting on well chosen urban furniture. The street lamps are great, monumental in scale but with their light color not overbearing while in form they harken back to the 60's. An interesting aspect of the project is the 'horizontal' office building that was added to the department stores. An extra floor of offices was built ontop of the existing structure. It is recessed from the facade and provides extra office space without affecting the mass of the original design.
Looking down Marszalkowska pre-1914.
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