As buildings from the postmodern eon continue to age with their residents, questions about historic significance and aesthetic relevance start to surface, leading to often heated debates whether the structures we used to love so much already merit magisterial protection or should give way for the new "now" architecture.
The case of the Solpol department store in Wrocław, Poland is only the latest in a list of soon to be decided PoMo fates: Built in the early 90s, the color- and shapeful structure embodies Poland's violent optimism of that time, when the tristesse of decades of communism was replaced with capitalism's promise of opportunity over night.
Hailed as "one of the best examples of postmodern architecture in Poland," the Society for Beautifying the City of Wrocław (TUMW) and Fundacja Transformator have now filed a motion to the Lower Silesian Monument Conservation Officer to include Solpol on the list of protected monuments.
Should everything go as planned, this PoMo gem would become the youngest monument in the country by a 20-year margin.
Below is some more information we've received from Marek Karabon (TUMW), one of the movers of the motion:
Solpol was built in 1993 in the center of Wrocław, nearby the Market Square and Świdnicka Street. Even today the building causes raised feathers due to its unique design by Wojciech Jarząbek, which made it stand out in a crowd of nearby historical buildings since the very opening. It was the time just after the fall of the Iron Curtain, time of swift economical and political change in Poland, during which the only colors on the streets where 50 shades of grey. Solpol on the other hand has with pride worn a colorful facade in violet, pink and green, enriched by several decorative elements. Therefore, over time it has became the Polish symbol of transformation from the state-run economy of the 80’s to the capitalism of the 90’s.
However, in recent years more and more often rumors about its planned demolition have been surfacing. Therefore, TUMW and Fundacja Transformator in order to ensure its survival filed an official motion to enlist it as a protected monument, arguing that although it is still quite young, it fulfills all the criteria for receiving official recognition and protection.
"The artistic value of Solpol, which has been lively discussed since its construction, is gaining more and more recognition in the academia. It is worth noting that “Architektura Murator” called it one of the 25 best Polish buildings of the last 20 years, among such undisputed icons as Centrum Manggha in Krakow or new Jewish History Museum in Warsaw." says Marek Karabon from TUMW, one of the initiative leaders.
“Architektura Murator” in its Solpol’s paean noted that already during its construction the building became a goal of pilgrimages for architects, who wanted to investigate innovative techniques and materials. Some of the elements used there - like tailor-made colorful windows or wide usage of glass - were unique in the country at the time, but later became standard lasting almost the whole decade.
Marek Karabon adds: "Solpol is the last department store on Świdnicka street designed according to the XIX-century rules. It has continued a trend of flagship stores with a rich architectural form. As a last example of this trend it has also finished the golden era of Świdnicka as a shopping street and today illustrates a sad shift to the shopping malls."
All of that makes Solpol a special building. Not only it has become a topic of discussions, it has also been a symbol of transformation. Moreover, it possesses artistic, scientific and historical values, what makes it fulfill all criteria of an officially recognized monument.
"Looking at Solpol is like browsing through elementary school pictures. Yes, indeed, we had terrible haircut and strange clothes, but we can’t neglect that period and throw the pictures away. They are a part of our identity." sums up Agata Gabiś, art historian from the University of Wrocław and representative of Fundacja Transformator.
Lower Silesian Monument Conservation Officer has responded positively to the motion and started an official procedure to include Solpol on the protected monuments list.
Photography by Maciej Lulko
8 Comments
I think this building has already been named a monument by the International Museum of Turds in Colonville, New Jersey.
PoMo is no no on Archinect?
davvid, do you have an opinion on this building or are you just trolling? Do you even know the difference between the two?
fuck off miles.
hurr durr Turd Museum!
and you wanna bitch about other people?
Sorry, everyone. Looks like I've stepped in something and have tracked it into this thread.
^ I almost did that laughing.
I personally think the building is fugly, but then again, i didn't live in Warsaw in the 90's. I do not find it hard to have empathy for those who did. I am quite sure this architecture had a huge impact on those living around it. It symbolized change, which for so long eluded the Polish people. Having something new, western and modern must have been a pivotal, hopeful symbol. I think such milestones in a country's history should be considered as a monument, I also do not think they mean " monument" as we define it here. In Korea they might call it a "National Treasure" and here we would say it was on the "National Register of Historic Places" which is a bit long winded compared to the simple "monument".
"Looking at Solpol is like browsing through elementary school pictures. Yes, indeed, we had terrible haircut and strange clothes, but we can’t neglect that period and throw the pictures away. They are a part of our identity." -Agata Gabiś
This is lovely and accurate. We have to decide which buildings were important signposts or turning points in architectural history, and which were just copying trends, but tossing out the important ones because we don't, today, like how they look is silly and shortsighted.
(I may or may not have an elementary school photo in which I sport a bowl cut and Mork suspenders.)
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