World Building of the Year. Przełomy Center for Dialogue by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes
19/11/2016.
WAF. Solidarność Square [Szczecin] Poland
metalocus, LAURA CENTELLAS
metalocus, LAURA CENTELLAS
Devastated by World War II, the Solidarność square, like the rest of the city of Szczecin, was the subject of bad urban practices which, together with the historical gap of citizens regarding the reasons that let the city to that situation, has become a poorly defined space. The construction of the new National Museum has been be one of the key interventions to end this situation.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz-Sokolowski. Image courtesy of WAF.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz-Sokolowski. Image courtesy of WAF.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Fotografía © Juliusz Sokolowski. Imagen cortesía de WAF.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Fotografía © Juliusz Sokolowski. Imagen cortesía de Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of WAF.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz-Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz-Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Fotografía © Jakub Certowicz.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Fotografía © Jakub Certowicz.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograpgh © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograpgh © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograpgh © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograpgh © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KCK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KCK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KCK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Jakub Certowicz. Image courtesy of Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Photograph © Juliusz Sokolowski. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of KWK Promes.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Imagen cortesía de KWK Promes.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes . Imagen cortesía de WAF.
Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Fotografía © Piotr Rakowski. Imagen cortesía de WAF.
Model. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Site plan and diagram. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Diagrams. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Diagrama. Museo Nacional de Szczecin por Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Plans. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Plans. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Ground floor plan. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Basement floor plan. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Section. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Section. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Elevations. National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
Previous and subsequent status. National Museum of Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of WAF.
National museum in Szczecin by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes. Image courtesy of WAF.
The National Museum of Szczecin in the Solidarność square, also known as Przełom Center for Dialogue due to the conciliatory role that has represented for the inhabitants of this Polish city with its history, is a topographical tapestry that combinesthe recreational activities of the square with a museistic pogram acting as the living witness of World War II. With this solution, Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes also manage to improve the deficiencies of an urban space that used to be decaying. Therefore, the project has received this year 2016, the European Prize for Urban Public Space, together with the project of Recovery of the Irrigation System at the Thermal Orchards.
Description of the project by Robert Konieczny - KWK Promes
Previous state
Szczecin is one of the largest victims of historical violence in Poland. Until 1945, the city lay within the borders of Germany, after which it was suddenly incorporated into Poland. Instant exchange of its population deconstructed the social fabric and distorted the city’s identity.
Before the war, the current Solidarności Square was the showcase of the city, featuring a quarter of representative tenements, bordering with one of the most elegant city squares and the Municipal Theater, enclosed by the Konzerthaus in the North. The entire neighborhood was teeming with life.
This fragment of the city suffered particular damage during bombing raids of the Allied forces – the quarter and its vicinity ceased to exist, creating a gap in the urban tissue. Furthermore, as a result of technocratic decisions, this fragment of the city was converted into a transportation route.
This quasi-square became the arena for dramatic events in 1970. A worker protest was pacified, and 16 protesters were killed. From that moment on, a new spirit overcame this place, as it became a symbol of fight for freedom. Since 2005, the victims of December have been commemorated by a monument.
Aim of the intervention
For years, the Solidarności Square had been a square by name only – with vague borders, open frontages, burdensome busy street neighborhood and the absence of a defined function, despite the dominating one – to commemorate the events of December 1970. The forgotten square-yard was enlivened during official celebrations only. In the 21st century, the area became the arena of significant architectural interventions.
In 2014, the former Konzerthaus was replaced by a new philharmonic venue designed by Estudio Barozzi Veiga. The building became the new city icon, winning the main Mies van der Rohe award in 2015.
The next initiative, which contributed changing the perception of the space was the “Przełomy” Dialogue Centre – a division of the National Museum, devoted to the contemporary history of Szczecin, an account of the city’s identity creation. In 2009, a competition for the design of a new museum building and reconstruction of the Solidarności square was announced.
Our goal was not only to design the museum, but to transform the dysfunctional, degraded space to a whole public space facilitating human interactions.
Description
Two contradictory traditions: of a quarter and of a square were the point of departure for the design, an urban design hybrid which encloses the space as a quarter, while retaining the values of open public space. A natural consequence of the decision to retain the open character of the square was thus to hide a great part of the new building’s cubature underground. The layout formed by the above-ground part of the building was completed by an analogous elevation, closing up the urban interior and shielding it from the tumult of the busy street.
The design eliminates any barriers encountered at the meeting point of the square and the city, and creates a foreground for the new philharmonic, preserving the directions for existing pedestrian routes while offering a bicycle path, and includes the original tree stand.
Assessment
The new square, including the museum located underneath, has clearly defined frames. Yet, its open formula encourages its users to express their impact. Artificial hills provide an opportunity for discovering new outlooks on the city, welcome walking tours and invite to sunbathing.
The slanted floor inspires various activities: for skateboarders, this is the ideal spot to practice. In the winter, the square serves as a sled track. Framed by the elevated corners, the space became a kind of an open amphitheater, with everyday urban life as the stage.
The yard has retained its symbolic dimension – the monument is still attracting veterans during annual celebration events. However, it ceased to dominate. Initially, Solidarity activists had reservations to the use of the square by skateboarders. They claimed it inappropriate, considering the history of the place. However, the skateboarder community assured that they would not interrupt any celebrations or skate on the monument. This was probably the first instance of agreement in Szczecin made by various social groups without official assistance. Today, the square is used by all age groups, which can amicably coexist with one another.
The new square and the museum building are a bridge overlooking the decades of Szczecin’s history. Like a keystone, they are the place where all of the memories, symbols, historical events converge. Thanks to the urban design hybrid applied, the tear in the urban fabric was sewed together, creating an important place contributing to the reconstruction of the city’s identity, and a vibrant and multidimensional urban space.
More information
Architects
KWK Promes, architects - Robert Konieczny, Michał Lisiński, Dorota Żurek, Katarzyna Furgalińska
Collaborators
Michal Lisiński, Dorota Żurek, Katarzyna Furgalińska. Aleksandra Stolecka, Piotr Tokarski, Adam Radzimski, Joanna Biedna, Magdalena Adamczak.
Structural engineering
Kornel Szyndler
Installations
Cegroup
Area
Site area.- 9577 sqm
Gross covered area.- 1628 sqm
Usable Floor.- 2117 sqm
Exhibition.- 960 sqm
Dates
Competition.- 2009
Project.- 2010 - 2011
Realisation.- 2012 - 2016
Total cost
6.202.500 €
Venue
Szczecin. Poland
Client
National Museum in Szczecin (Muzeum Narodowe w Szczecinie)
Robert Konieczny. KWK Promes
Robert Konieczny. An architect, graduate of Architecture at Silesian University of Technology in Gliwice. In 1996 he received the certificate of New Jersey Institute of Technology. A leader and a founder of KWK Promes architecture studio established in 1999. In 2012 he became an independent expert for the Mies van der Rohe Foundation. Konieczny was a nominate of the European Award of Mies van der Rohe Foundation eight times. Moreover he is a holder of the prestigious award for the House of the Year 2006, winning with the Aatrial House as the best housing project in a competition organized by World Architecture News.
In 2007 the KWK Promes office was listed among 44 best young architects of the world published by 'Scalae'. Same year the 'Wallpaper' magazine issued Konieczny's practice as one of the 101 most exciting architecture studios in the world. Year 2008 brought him another prize of The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum 'European 40 under 40'.
In 2007 the KWK Promes office was listed among 44 best young architects of the world published by 'Scalae'. Same year the 'Wallpaper' magazine issued Konieczny's practice as one of the 101 most exciting architecture studios in the world. Year 2008 brought him another prize of The European Center for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies and The Chicago Athenaeum 'European 40 under 40'.
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