Skocznia/Ski Jump

@. Czerniowiecka 3
architect. Jeremi Struchacki (eng.)
finished. 1959

Ski jumping is a popular sport (Malysz is a national hero) and this ski jump was an important training facility for several decades. This ski jump is beautifully situated not far from Krolikarnia, on the ridge of the skarpa. I can imagine how it must have been to go soaring with the view of half the city before you. It reminds me a bit of the situation of the Olympic swimming pool on Mt. Juic in Barcelona.  However, during the 80's, it lost popularity and fell into disrepair. Despite its state it is currently home to several businesses: a hair dresser, a ski shop and a courier service. Go figure.

Skarpa. Bluff

Urban Space, Park

@. Aleja Na Skarpie

architect.

finished. a work in progress

This is more than a little dead end in the center of town. The 'skarpa', bluff, is the most characteristic geographical element of the terrain on which Warsaw is situated. It runs along the entire Western edge of the wisla river and most of it is is green. It was certainly a deciding factor in the first settlement built here (remnants found dating from the 8th c.) as its steep cliffs provided protection from invadors and flooding, good views, and healthy breezes. It's no wonder many palaces lined it (and still do).

Recently it's been in the news. There is a movement to invest in it as an important tourist/monument axis of the city. It's a great idea, there's many slightly off the beaten path but very cool places that are off of it as it snakes along the river for kilometers. There's a network of paths and pedestrian bridges which make it relatively easy to cross the city from north to south without stepping outside a park.

The street Na Skarpie is a dead end close to the Senate buildings. There's several villas from the 20's and 30's on it. As well as the Earth Museum.

Parking posts

Public space

@. ubiquitous

architect. if i only knew (fist shaking)

finished. a work in progress

Parking in Warsaw is 'wolno amerykanka', literally a free American, basically a free for all. The more clever the space you find (in other words the more it gets in everyone elses way) the bigger balls you have. It's a blight on the city. It really multiplies the schizophrenic feel of the urban fabric. The only form of regulation that the city seems to have is to put up decorative posts to block essential zones (like cross-walks) from turning into parking spaces. However there is a silver lining...the city is becoming more interested in creating well defined urban zones (like Krakowskie Przedmiescie and Nowy Swiat). So with time that same thoughtful strategy will tricle down to neighborhood streets as well.

Krolikarnia

Palace, gallery

@. Pulawska 113

architect. Dominik Merlini

finished. 1786

Krolikarnia is beautifully situated at the top of the the 'Skarpa' (bluff), with views of the Wisla valley below. It is one of only a few places in the city where the topogrophy of the river valley is so visible. Today the palace whose design was inspired by Palladio's Villa Rotonda houses the museum of sculptor Xawiery Dunikowski, which opened in 1965. Dunikowski started sculpting at the turn of the 19th/20th century and was a member of the 'Young Poland' movement between the two world wars. His style is strong, angular, lacking in detail to let through the 'naked soul'.

Street Art Doping

 

@. Rondo Sedlaczka (Port Czerniakowski, Wybrzeze Kosciuszkowskie)

artists. Many

finished. 2009

2009 saw the first year of the Street Art Doping Festival. The idea was to enliven and brighten some of Warsaw's gray walls as well as raising up street art from the realm of graffiti and vandalism - Warsaw is plagued by tagging. The murals created during the festival are of a really high caliber. They engage the city and various forgotten spaces. The festival managed several key collaborations with artists from around Europe, with various city non-profits like Ja Wisla as well as the Department of Roads and Transportation.

Memorial Plaques

@. everywhere, keep your eyes peeled
artist. I'm not sure, I think they were a citizen-based initiative
finished. I think it's an ongoing project, it started in the 50's

There are 300+ plaques located on walls and small monuments throughout the city. They are ubiquitous, you can easily pass them by without seeing them but when you start paying attention you see they are everywhere. And once you understand what they commemorate the horror of occupation becomes a little more understandable. They commemorate places related to the Warsaw Uprising and the lives lost in Warsaw due to German occupation terror, especially street executions. These mini war memorials are actively remembered and often have fresh flowers and candles placed on them.

Barge Biscuit/Barka Herbatnik

@. Port Czerniakowski
architect. more of the conservator Fundacja Ja Wisla
finished. a work in progress

Really this post is more about Czerniakowski Port than about Biscuit. It is Warsaw's oldest port that has existed since 1848 when Count Zamojski started a shipyard. It produced many ships and barges through its 150 year history. However the last ship was built in 1969 and the port has fallen into disrepair. There have been rather unsuccessful plans to turn it into a tourist port in the 70's. Today it is mostly wild land that is very attractive to flora and fauna. It is being looked after by the Ja Wisla Foundation that plans to revitalize the Wisla river. It organizes day-cruises, dances, outdoor movie screenings and concerts. The biscuit barge is the music venue. It was raised from the bottom of the river 12 years after it sunk. The ship is grounded and its deck has become a stage with the audience sitting on the ground around it, overlooking the boat and the river behind it. While the boat is lit with stage lights the rest of the 'venue' is lit by candles. Which makes for a surreal, outdoor experience.

this photo is not mine

Agora

 

@. Czerska 8/10

architect. Jems Architects

finished. 2002

Agora: one of Polands largest media corporations. Publishes the very popular Gazeta Wyborcza whose editor is Adam Michnik, a legend in his own right. An open-space office that was designed to meet the non-hierarchical needs of a large multi-media company, at the same time creating a comfortable work enviornment. The interior space is capable of being redefined and is punctuated by sectional cuts that let in light as well as providing space for informal gatherings and big planters with (Spanish, why?) flora. The HVAC and electricity has been pulled through a raised floor, ease of maintenance. There is an abundance of natural light which comes through the South glass facade. It, along with the plants, are the highlights of the building. It touches on some green building techniques in a very pragmatic sort of way, but nothing too fancy. I like that there seems to have been a lot of thought given to make this an integrated work environment. There is an airy cafe, lots of public space, a fitness club. The building has won about a dozen architecture prizes and is considered a Polish post-communist icon. Its modernity is definately apreciated as it is often featured in commercials, TV series and films. Good photos, article, interview.

Metro

@. metro centrum

architect. ??

finished. first line in 2008

The Warsaw metro has had a long history. Plans for the metro began in 1925. Work officially started on the first line in 1983 and its last stations were opened 25 years later in 2008. The various stations are quite different in style. The southern ones, up to metro Politechnika, are pragmatic and without grandeur. They use simple color schemes and basic materials to differentiate them. Starting with Ratush-Arsenal the style becomes more high-tech. The materials used are lusher, these are the newer stations. Plac Wilsona is the most baroque of them all and has been voted prettiest metro station in the world at the 2008 Metrorail convention. The final stations are more demure, almost ascetic with just a single richer material as an accent. Currently work has begun on the second line which will run perpendicular to the first, leading from Wlochy to Praga. Hopefully it will take less time to complete than the first.

Iluzjon

Cinema

@. Narbutta

architect. Mieczysław Piprek

finished. 1950

When first built this movie theater was known as "Kino Stolica". Its site was the old Mokotow market. The building was designed as a 'garden pavillion'set into a green, neighborhood park. The greenery and openness was meant to dominate the city fabric here. The movie theater is sunk into the park by three steps. The pantheon-like entrance hall was fashionable at the time, cupolas were 'In'. I'm not sure if the site strategy worked. The building is pretty massive despite the sort of organic wavy roof. Overall the place has a nice feel to it though and the immediate neighborhood is very charming. After a renovation the building will be the site of the national filmoteka which is temporarily housed in the National Library down the street on Niepodleglosci.

Bartycka

I've spent most of my time in Warsaw on Bartycka. At least that's what it feels like. This little bit of the city is an architects dream and nightmare. It's a little village of mismatched, ramshackle huts, warehouses, buildings and shacks. They are every possible color and shape, thrown around randomly, some are along little pedestrian streets. It looks like a giant toddler has thrown a tantrum and decided to destroy his carefully constructed, wood block city. Each bungalow, be it red, green, yellow or cornflower blue, is covered in posters of whatever it specializes in selling. It's products spill out onto the side walk. Inside the walls are covered in faucets, sinks, toilets, tiles, chimneys and lamps. Here you can find every possible shade of Italian marble, wood floors from countries I've never heard of and every imaginable faucet. I come here and get lost for hours. It's a village inside a city, a favela of toilets and tile samples.