Plac Piłsudskiego w Warszawie - dobrze, czy źle

• Autorzy: Franta A.

Warianty tytułu

EN

Marshall Pilsudski Square in Warsaw good or wrong? - identity, harmony, catastrophy

• Języki publikacji: PL

Abstrakty

EN

Marshall Pilsudski Square in Warsaw, originally a courtyard of the early XVIllc. Saxon Palace, since it was opened to he public (1791) called Saxon Square. Until destruction of the City of Warsaw and the Saxon Palace by German Nazis Army in 1944/45 the Square played the role of a prestigious urban spaces of the historic part of the city. During long lasting post war reconstruction only the Eastern side of the Square was rebuilt in its previous shape. To the North the original area of the Square was enlarged (1965) and occupied urban block adjacent to the Squire. On this place, previously a built-up area, an open space in front of the extended neoclassical back facade of the Opera House had been designed. This decision was contradicting to the original urban composition of Saxon Axis which follows West-East line. The Opera House Building created a dominant placed semi perpendicularly to the main axis of the Saxon Palace. However he Palace itself remains as "a virtual entity", but the axis is clearly perceived in well preserved Palace Garden - "the Saxon Garden" and in other components of the composition looking both East and West. After 1989 liberation of Poland from Marxist doctrine, and return to market oriented economy a tendency of more rational land use reemerged. This caused, among others, a question whether the enlargement of the Saxon Square area was a right decision, and whether the open space in front of the back facade of the Opera House is justified by any important public use function? Finally the view that it could be better utilised than just for a parking lot won. There were several attempts to redevelop the place, as a Congress Center, or a hotel. But utilitarian and commercial aspects dominated. Rental offices on upper floors, open spaces of public use at the ground level, and underground parking defined the program of the planned building. City authorities and Hines developers commissioned the design of the building to Lord Norman Foster office, acting in partnership with Warsaw JEMS (Jagiełło, Szczepanik Dzikowski, Miłobędzki) design studio. Since the area is under strict City Conservator supervision formulation of conservation rules have taken rather long time. They concerned limited building high and external outline, which was to follow the previously existing buildings on this site. There was no clear definition of architectural character, but expectation that the "architectural language" of the building will correspond to the surrounding, and expressing trust in Authors reputation that it will be appropriately interpreted. After numerous debates the design presented by Norman Foster Office and its Warsaw Partners got building permit. But structure which was erected is disputable, and still causes fierce discussions. The Author of the article presents the view, that the decision to reduce the space of the Square to its historic dimensions by constructing the building in front of the back Opera House facade, complete in its classical wholeness, was mistaken. The city lost in this way one of its few vast open spaces, centrally located, which was used for special public or religious events reducing it to dimensions of the historic layout. This could be suitable in the past but do not correspond with requirements of the present metropolis, paradoxically reflected in Foster's building name: "Metropolitan". Two articles by dr Alexander Franta have and emotional polemic character and writing style. He writes among other comments, that Metropolitan Building is a scandal and "cultural cathastrophy".

Słowa kluczowe

PL

Plac Piłsudskiego; Warszawa; urbanistyka

EN

Marshall Pilsudski Square; Warsaw; town planning

• Wydawca: Komitet Architektury i Urbanistyki PAN ; Politechnika Warszawska, Wydział Architektury
• Czasopismo: Kwartalnik Architektury i Urbanistyki
• Rocznik: 2005
• Tom: T. 50, z. 1-2
• Strony: 30--31

Twórcy

autor

Franta A.