1500m2 for rent/do wynajecia

@. Solec 18
architekt.
finished. 2009

One of the newest art/music/performance spaces on the Warsaw scene. It's located in the increasingly hip Powisle neighborhood. From what I understand it's run by a group of 7 young women and is located in an abandoned cartography factory (1951-1992): Polskie Przedsiębiorstwo Wydawnictw Kartograficznych im. Eugeniusza Romera SA (PPWK). They used to print maps for schoolrooms here. The land was about to be bought from the city by a developer but the deal fell through (thanks/due) to the crisis and so this 'non-profit' got a deal from the city to rent it at a very advantageous rate. The city is trying hard to subsidize culture in a bid for becoming Europe's(?) cultural capital in 2016. What's interesting is that these places (and they're multiplying quickly) seem to be classified as non-profits yet they mostly function as bars with almost daily music events, be they concerts or dj's. Hmmm. Nonetheless the space is cool, very rough around the edges, with some miniscule bathroom stalls (there must have been a miscalculation somewhere) and some decent shows and art exhibits. Check them out: http://1500m2.blogspot.com/.

the mural is in the courtyard of 1500m2 and is by Agata Dudek.
the photo is not by me

Central Artistic Swimming Pool/Centralny Basen Artystyczny

@. Marii Konopnickiej 6

architect. ??

finished. 1934

CASP was originally built as the Polish headquarters of the YMCA, after the war it became the headquarters of the Polish Scouts (my great grandmother worked there) and it currently houses the only remaining covered swimming pool that survived the war. Unfortunately the swimming pool is dry, however it is not useless. It currently houses a stage and is one of the most unique venues I've ever seen, on par with the Fireside Bowl in Chicago. Anyway, the building has attracted freethinkers and bohemians for decades and it continues to do so. This is what I love about Warsaw, that behind the facade of the poshest square in town you can find a gray, unimposing building that whose function has been completely rethought, but unchanged and made to be useful in the present. Environmental, creative and accessible: Wow. Oh and check out their website for events, basen, there's even a cafe to quench your thirst.

ps. Leopold Tyrmand, writer, publicist and jazz enthusiast lived here for 9 years.

pic from Basen website

BYOStory

@. Powisle
artist. Olga Szczepanska, Malwina Konopacka, Mariusz Jonski
finished. 2009

This project deals with urban identity as a reaction to a perceived overabundance of memory in the city. It is a set of commemorative plaques hung on the facades of various buildings in the Powiśle neighborhood; the project is called BYOStory. The context of these plaques are the 300+ small memorials that are found throughout the city, BYOStory has created an alternative plaque for the city. They have taken the stories of ordinary citizens, stories that are part of their everyday life, and memorialized them. Amongst other things these colorful plastic plaques say:

“Here on May 4th 1989 I met my beloved wife Kasia.”

“My best friend from childhood lived in this house.”

“I used to sit on this bench with my grandfather every spring.”

“My first kiss was under this tree.”

“Here my dog Gapsi dug up a gold ring.”

“I’ve bought my newspaper in this kiosk for the last 40 years.”

The artists themselves state that they are interested in reclaiming public space for the citizens of the city. That is only a part of their goal, for they are interested in understanding how a city interweaves memories that are part of the personal narrative of everyday life with the grander narrative of events that go down in history.

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.

Powisle

Cafe

@. Kruczkowskiego 3a

architect. Arseniusz Romanowicz i Piotr Szymaniak

finished. 1963

This coffee shop/bar used to house ticket offices for the Powisle railway station (suburban railway). Now it's been 'restored to it former glory'? I doubt that the ticket office was ever glorious, originally built in the 60's (1954-63), along with several other lovely stations of the line (Ochota, ...) it was certainly sculptural and modernist ... but glorious might be pushing it. This was post-Stalin communism, socialist-realism was out the door, they were no longer finishing with marble. However the materials are very solid, the floor is a nicely cut granite and mosaic tiles cover the columns. In 2009 the building underwent a minimalist renovation by a young architecture firm, Centrala. I really appreciate their light (budget-friendly?) touch. The volume of the roof is amazing, particularly lit up at night. The interior is spartan and it's nice to see some non-ikea furniture, i believe some young local furniture designers were involved. Overall the openness of the space has been maintained. Due to the hight it feels larger than it is and there's something still left in the air of the bustle that was once the essence of this place.

A detail not to miss: the menu options are also retro, written in red and blue marker on A4 paper taped to the wall!

Mermaid Statue. Pomnik Syrenki

Sculpture

@. Wybrzeze Kosciuszkowskie
artist. Ludwika Nitschowa
finished. 1939

The mermaid is a symbol of Warsaw. There's two monuments to her in the city. In both she's represented with a shield and drawn sword. However, the sculpture we see in the old town is more reminiscent of a pudgy cherub than a warrior. That's why I like the one on Wybrzeze Kosciuszkowskie. She's a stoic hero, not romantic at all. She stares bravely in the face of her adversaries knowing they might bring her defeat. Krystyna Krahelska posed for the monument. She was a poet, ethnographer and soldier in the (AK, the Polish Army in occupied Poland). She died on the second day of the Warsaw Uprising.

Warszawa Powisle

Train station

@. Warszawa Powisle

architect. Arseniusz Romanowicz and Piotr Szymaniak

finished. 1963

The station serves the dual purpose of serving as a terminal for train passengers as well as connecting the top and bottom of the Skarpa (bluff) for pedestrians. It's an effective urban trick, the long train platform breaks up the 100 steps you have to climb to get to the center of the city from Powisle. The architecture is definately worth noting. The ticket booths at the top and bottom of the bluff are dynamic and eye-catching. While the geometric roof structures along the platform itself are not only sculputural; their form, use and structure integrated into an elegant piece of architecture.

Most Poniatowskiego

Bridge, Urban Space

@. Most Poniatowskiego
architect. Stefan Szyller  engineers. Mieczysław Marszewski and Wacław Paszkowski
finished. 1913

The Poniatowski bridge was destroyed and rebuilt, during and after respectively, each successive war from its construction. It lost most of its' original character after its reconstruction in the 50's but you can still admire the original neo-rennaisance viaduct that leads up to it. The good news is that by 2012 its entire former glory will be restored. The viaduct is set upon beautiful expressionistic arches. And the roadway itself is decorated with towers and bench alcoves. I recommend getting off the tramstop just on the west side of the river and walk down the impresssive set of stairs. Closer to center it's also interesting to remember the pedestrian passage that connects the north and south side of Jerozolimskie, you enter through the Powisle station.

A poorly designed shopping gallery was partially finished below some of the arches. It's cheap and a waste of the potential of the gotham-esque space.

PS. Apparently when the water level is low in the Wisla you can see the remains of the destroyed elements of the birdge sticking out of the water from the Praga side.