Before the Old Town in Warsaw Was Rebuilt (original) (raw)

2019, The Challenges of World Heritage Recovery

The reconstruction of the Old Town in Warsaw as a residential district was preceded by many different projects, reflecting social involvement, difficult working conditions and ideological conflicts. The decision on reconstruction is never simple and unambiguous. Its legitimacy, understood as social acceptance of the place and its proper design, is verifiable only with the passage of time. Despite this, certain decisions still stir emotions and are often the subject of heated discussions, although more than 50 years have passed since the first developments under the Warsaw reconstruction project were implemented. From this perspective, the reconstruction of the Old Town complex in Warsaw, which was well thought through and preceded by in-depth studies, can be regarded as a summary of the most intensive period of reconstruction and a crowning of the accumulated experience. Looking at contemporary buildings in the centre of Warsaw, based on developments constructed as part of the post-war reconstruction of the city, one can still see the old, though general, urban layout. Despite the division into smaller units, which facilitate the implementation of works, but do not correspond to administrative, urban or historical divisions, individual developments, despite stylistic differences, are in harmony with each other thanks to similar heights or subtle stylistic references to the historical forms visible e.g. in the details. It is extremely encouraging that despite the passage of time, certain spatial relations or projects of public space are still legible and fulfil their function. Therefore, it is worth remembering the words of Alfred Lauterbach: “the desire to restore the values that we do not want to give up, if our technical capabilities and knowledge allow them to be reborn, is stronger than any theories. But you can not apply the general rule anywhere. Each monument is a specific case, an issue requiring reflection and elaboration”