CLAD People
PROJECT
National Museum and Dialogue Centre Przełomy, Szczecin, Poland
Many buildings nowadays look interesting, but when you analyse deeper, there’s nothing more than the form Robert Konieczny Principal KWK
R
obert Konieczny, the principal of Polish
“in an optimistic, poetic and imaginative way.”
architecture studio KWK Promes,
“We broke the rules for the project’s design
has described how he won the World
competition,” Konieczny told CLAD. “The site was
Architecture Festival’s 2016 Building
originally smaller, but after we got to know the
of the Year prize by creating a museum that
history of the place, we thought the whole square
doubles as a “city-forming” public space
and the building should be treated as one entity.
for the people of Szczecin, Poland.
“Pre-war the location was an urban quarter
The National Museum and Dialogue
and post-war it became a memorial square to
Centre Przełomy – which explores the city’s
remember 16 [anti-regime protesters] who were
history of Nazi occupation, resistance against
killed there in fights with militia in December
post-war Soviet communist authority, and
1970. Our idea was to bring together these two
eventual transition to democracy – sits largely
contradictory traditions. We created a hybrid
underground, with its roof forming part of the
which encloses the site like a quarter, while
city’s Solidarity Square. The concept was hailed by the festival’s competition jury, led by David
keeping the values of an open public space.” Konieczny studied at the Silesian
Chipperfield, as “a piece of topography as well
University of Technology in Gliwice.
as a museum” that addresses the city’s past
He launched KWK Promes in 1999
ALL PHOTOS: KWK PROMES
A PLACE TO GATHER KWK Promes decided to eliminate any barriers in the square, enhancing its potential as a meeting space. Smooth uplifts in the site were created to house the museum underneath, while enclosing the square from traffic and busy surrounding neighbourhoods. The concrete floor of the square, which is covered with rectangular tiles, was replicated on the slopes and the façade of the museum, creating the illusion of one continuous monolithic structure. “There are many buildings nowadays that look interesting, but when you analyse deeper, there’s nothing more than the form,” said Konieczny. “Our projects are always the consequence of a logical process, and the form is in a way secondary. This project connects various times and traditions and gives a lot of new possibilities to the city, thanks to the generous public space. “When the museum is closed, life on the square still goes on, due to the topography. It encourages people to ride a bike, skate
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CLADmag 2017 ISSUE 1