Poland's Katowice Railway Station, built in 1972 and designed by notable Polish architects Wacław Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzyński and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki, is facing demolition. There is an appeal underway, spearheaded by Irma Kozina, art historian and the University of Silesia, Katowice-Poland. She has shared with us her call for support...


Poland's Katowice Railway Station, built in 1972 and designed by notable Polish architects Wacław Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzyński and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki, is facing demolition. There is an appeal underway, spearheaded by Irma Kozina, art historian and the University of Silesia, Katowice-Poland. She has shared with us her call for support... take the jump to read.
Dear Architecture Lovers,

In 2007 we were addressing a lot of architecture historians as well as famous architectural offices to support us in our protest ast [sic] the demolition of the Katowice Railway Station with the following words:

On behalf of the professional milieus of architects and art historians we are appealing for the preservation and rehabilitation of the railway station constructed in Katowice, Poland, in the years 1959-1972. The railway main hall is a high quality piece of architecture, designed by recognised Polish architects of the mentioned period, the famous Warsaw Tigers: Waclaw Klyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzynski and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki. Its construction was worked out by a world-renowned engineer Waclaw Zalewski.

The unique aesthetic features of the hall deserve its conservation and enhancement. The building has already been recognised by Polish and international specialists for its being great achievement of the world’s engineering and functional design. Therefore we are addressing all the decision makers able to influence the future of the building hoping that it will be possible to join our forces and work together for the proper conservation and modernisation of the railway station in Katowice.

After some time the railway station was sold to the Spanish firm Neinver whose representatives promised us to rescue the precious work of Polish modernism. Unfortunately, the firm did not keep the promise and the time of the building’s demolition is set on the 1st of September 2010. We blame the architectural office Sud-Architects, especially the designers Jocelyn Fillard and Nicolas Roques, for the destruction of one of the most important Polish architectural monuments.
Therefore we would like to ask all architecture theoreticians, professionals and architecture lovers to help us find a solution to our conflict with great business as well as to construct an influential body dealing with the ethics among architects as we believe that some measures have to be found to stop architects from being obedient instruments in the hands of reach business people.

Irma Kozina
Art Historian
University of Silesia, Katowice-Poland