Showing posts with label Srodmiescie. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Srodmiescie. Show all posts
Malls
@. pictured above, Arkadia, Jana Pawla 82
investor/developer. again for Arkadia, Cefic
finished. ditto, 2004
Ahh malls. So popular and so terrible. They are popping up all over the city following a very American model. They make sense in some ways. It's a cold climate, its nice to be able to walk around, meet friends and shop in a controlled, warm, dry environment. But WHY do they have to be completely cut off from the street? Why must I walk for kilometers to get to an entrance along a windowless brick facade with cars zooming past my narrow sidewalk? These monstrosities are huge and completely unintegrated into the streetscape. While perfectly accessible by public transportation these edifices shy away from the street and are ultimately designed with the car in mind. They all go into my hall of shame with the one exception of Galeria Centrum which is extremely well done (and the only one built under communism!!).
Skarpa. Bluff
Urban Space, Park
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.
Temporary Modern Art Museum. Muzeum Sztuki Nowoczesnej
Museum
@. Pańska 3
architekt. Marian Kuźniara and Czesław Wegner
finished. 1966
It is difficult to find information regarding the architecture of the present location of the MOMA Warsaw because the big news is the design of a new museum by Swiss architect Christian Kerez (to take the place of the quanset-like structure in front of the Palace of Culture). However I think that the present site is great. Neighboring the snobby Intercontinental hotel and Zlote Tarasy, the museum is on the ground floor of a Soviet-era apartment building. The space is small but edgy; a real reflection of the potential hidden in Warsaw. There's fantastic tile floors, concrete pilars and an azure staircase that leads upstairs to a lounge complete with an earthy mosaic (a period piece, really). Outside there's a well proportioned public space that can act as an extension of the gallery. I'm sure the new museum building will be beautiful and it will do the urban fabric of the city center a world of good but it's dissapointing to see good architectural spaces being overlookeded in the quest for what is shiny and new.
ps. And I can spend hours in the bookstore!
Wiecha Passage. Pasaż Wiecha
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.
Kontrasts
@. Mokotowska 57 & 59
architect. Zygmunta Binduchowski / Orco Development
finished. ~1904 / 2009
Kamienica Rodryga Mroczkowskiego aka. Krakowiacy i Gorale is an example of eclectic secession - its facade has neorennaisance elements supported by muscular Polish peasants in regional dress. The gateway to the inner courtyard still has wood pavers that were once popular in Warsaw.
The neighbor to this eclectic gem is a contemporary 'rehab' of a 60's industrial building. Little of the original structure remains since much of it had to be replaced to support the additional two floors. Currently there are 14 luxury residences.
I'll use this moment to talk about the name Mokotowska, the road that led to the hamlet of Mokotow. I've read various accounts of the origin of the name. The name first appears in documents dating from 1367 that list villages surrounding Warsaw. It is suggested that the name comes from a Prussian land owner. Another story states that the name originates with Countess Isabela Lubomirska who named her 18th century residence by Morskie Oko, Mon Coteau or 'My Hill'.
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.
Window Shopping. Mokotowska. RS2
Shopping/Coffee
@. Mokotowska
architekt.
finished. 2008
Mokotowska is turning into a high-fashion hub in Warsaw. This is a great trend for a city in which interesting shops are frequently spread kilometers apart. It's a great contrast to developer driven inner-city malls that unlike shopping streets do not integrate into the urban fabric. So I'm really happy to see a seemingly successful niche shopping street forming organically. Yay!
The Reebok concept store is slick and minimalist which accentuates the few elements of the 24hr store that it has replaced (the tile floors and old radiators). This is nothing new though. What I really appreciate is that the sign in the window maintains the language of classic Warsaw shops. Nice job!
PS. RS2 keeps up with the trend these days of adding coffee, tea and cake to whatever else it may be trying to hawk.
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.
KDT/Shopkeepers Department Store
architect. ? someone hired by the company Kupieckie Domy Towarowe
finished. 2001, will most likely be torn down in 2010
Update: the quonset has been sold for 107,000 zl, a real bargain considering it's construction cost 17 million.
www.kdt.com.pl
Pozdrowienia z Alej Jerozolimskich/Greetings from Jerusalem Avenue
@. Rondo De Gaullea
artist. Joanna Rajkowska
finished. 2002
‘Greetings from Jerusalem Avenue’, Pozdrowienia z Alej Jerozolimskich, is a life-size date palm designed by Joanna Rajkowska in 2002. It is situated at the intersection of New World Street and Jerusalem Avenue, Nowy Swiat and Aleje Jerozolimskie, a major intersection in Warsaw. According to the artist, the sculpture is an attempt to educate the city about the significance of Jerusalem Avenue. The name originates in the 18th century, when the street led to a Jewish neighborhood called New Jerusalem. The palm tree is meant to remind us that the name ‘Jerusalem Avenue’ is not transparent, that it represents a particular history and, more importantly, the absence of a culture that was once an integral part of the city (Rajkowska).
MDM
Housing/Urban space
architect. Stanislaw Jankowski, Jan Knothe, Jozef Sigalin, Zygmunt Stepinski
finished. 1953
MDM stands for 'Marszałkowska Dzielnica Mieszkaniowa', the Marszalkowska Apartment Neighborhood. It is built in the socialist-realist style that was mandatory from 1949. Socialist-realist architecture was meant to be monumental - it was part of the regime's propoganda machine. The architects took liberty with the classical vocabulary they had to work with. The facades have massive arcades, well defined windows, imposing heights and impressive relief sculptures of the 'noble' working class. The materials of choice were sandstone and polished marble which have weathered remarkably well. The architecture of the plaza organizes the intersection of four different streets, disquising the entrance to the smaller ones with arcades.
MDM was part of an urbanistic conception that widened Marszalkowska Street from Krolewska (Ogrod Saski), past the Palace of Kulture, to Koszykowa. To achieve this the Western side of Marszalkowska was demolished. Plac Konstytucji (Constitution Plaza) was to serve as the end point for official May Day parades.
It is a shame to see the plaza used for parking and the lack of life along Marszalkowska which is populated by banks and stores unchanged from the early 90's. However as an example of truly massive populist architecture it is worth exploring, especially with an eye for detail.
check it out back then...
Palace of Culture part II
architect. Lew Rudniew
finished. 1955
The Palace of Culture took the place of 120 apartment buildings and a network of small city blocks. While the majority of the infrastructure on site was heavily damaged, the urban fabric of the city could have been rebuilt. Instead a crew of 3500 Russian workers arrived in Warsaw, lived in their own quarter with a separate movie theater, canteen and swimming pool, and constructed a 220m tall symbol of Russian control, which to this day remains the tallest building in Poland. To say that the Palace of Culture evoked strong emotions is putting it lightly.
Just had to add this image I found. Someone loves it.
Just had to add this image I found. Someone loves it.
Kino Luna
Image from Kino Luna website
@. Marszalkowska 28
architect.
finished. 1962
The building, which is part of MDM, came into being during the 50's and Kino Luna, was inaugurated in 1962. It shows mostly art movies. On Mondays it has super cheap 5pln tickets while on Thursdays it shows movies with English subtitles. What I most appreciate about it is its enormous oval foyer. It's two stories tall with grand sweeping staircases on both ends. It's orange, warm and velvety, with awesome square leather chairs where you can munch on pop-corn and m&m's from the concession stand. It's so grand and comfortable and would take so little to make it great. I've seen some terrible modern renderings of plans to add a cafe, gallery and cloak room that totally ruin this homey-retro aesthetic. It's such a unique place that I hate to think of it becoming shiny and new and foreign feeling (like Kino Kultura, nice but bleh). Reviewers even mention that the cashier reminds them of their aunt and the ticket taker their uncle, can you ask for a more Warsaw climate? check them out
Skwer
Cafe/Gallery/Public Space
@. Plac Hoovera
architect. JEMS Studio
finished. 2009
It is surprising how well this modern, tranquil pavillion blends into the scenery of historic Warsaw. The topography of the site allows for a large exhibition/concert space 'underground' which is still accessible from the back of the square while the cafe opens itself up to the 'salon' of Warsaw which is Krakowskie Przedmiescie. The pavillion and it's accompanying terrace sit slightly below the level of the sidewalk so that the continuity of the historic facades of the street is not broken. At the same time it creates a comfortable place for people to relax and people-watch.
Former Party Headquarters. Były Dom Partii
Banking + Financial Offices
@. Nowy Swiat 6/12
architekts. W. Kłyszewski, J. Mokrzyński i E. Wierzbicki
finished. 1952
Originaly this complex housed the Communist Party Headquarters but after the regime change it has, ironically, been home to several Capitalist institutions including the stock exchange. It is a good example of Socialist Realism, monumental and harsh. The courtyard, minimalist, geometric and ordered, full of potential as urban space, is unfortunately being used as a parking lot.
Metro
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.
Bar Mleczny - Prasowy
foto from nogalalki.blox.pl
@. Marszałkowska 10/16
architect.?
finished. 50's
If you come visit me in Warsaw then Milk Bars will be a stop on our tour. They are one of the keys to understanding the city. The name is a bit of a misnomer - these are super cheap cafeterias serving plain food, mostly dairy based (eggs and cheeses). The first milk bar opened in 1896 in Warsaw. It was run by the owner of a dairy. Soon milk bars were opening all over the country but their hay day was druing communism when the government took over their private ownership and made them part of its strategy to provide workers with cheap, hearty food. Since meat was expensive they contintued to serve mostly vegetarian dishes.
Today these cafeterias still exist even though their numbers are dwindling as rents rise and competition in the form of hamburgers and kebabs saturates the marketplace. However they are still government subsidized though privately owned and still serve dirt cheap classic Polish food to retirees, students and, well, really, anyone who wanders through the door.
This particular bar mleczny is one of the oldest you can find in Warsaw. It opened in the 50's when the, then new, MDM neighborhood was finished. It's name, the Press Bar, derived from the offices of Zycie Warszawy across the street.
And as you can see in the photo many of these bars are in a time warp, their only new amenities being an electronic cash register.
Mis - the Milk Bar scene from the classic satire of communism by Bareja
reviews - website reviewing bars around Warsaw
Domki Finskie / Finish Houses
@. Jazdow 10/3
architect.
finished. 1945
Finish Houses in Jazdow, at the boundary of Srodmiescie, between the Polish Parliament and Ujazdowski Park. They seem like an anomaly. They were constructed right after the war as temporary housing for workers rebuilding Warsaw. They were meant to stand for about 5 years yet they're there to this day. Infact today they are commanding high prices, who wouldn't want to live in a wood cabin in the middle of the city. In a historical turn of events that I don't quite understand these houses were part of reparations that Finland was forced to pay the USSR after WWII. The USSR then passed them along to Poland where they were used in various cities. Apparently there were thousands of these pre-fab houses brought in from Finland. Not all of them were gifts of the USSR. Some were bartered in exchange for Polish coal. In all cases they were meant to alleviate the terrible housign shortages that Poland faced after the war.
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