DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.41588#0024
decade, that forced the postponement os construction sor many modern designs. The year 1933 is
considered as the closing date sor the modern phase os the Warsaw nineteen-twenties architecture.
In sollowing the path laid out by Andrzej K. Olszewski — the author os the periodization and
terminology os 20th century Polish art — I will disfer in details.2 The reason sor this lies in the stress
placed on architectural rather than artistic criteria in subdividing and ordering buildings within the
currents os Modernism.
Modernist tendencies in the architecture os Warsaw in the nineteen-twenties may be attributed,
with some simplification, to three trends, separated according to the expressiveness os the three
elements os the architectural triad: structure, sunction, and sorm.
Works representing the Moderately Modern trend were chronologically the earliest; their
implementation appearing in 1924. They combined modern structural and sunctional solutions with
a continuation os certain older formal principles — mainly Classical composition in contemporary
interpretation and Expressionist detail, Moderate Modernism sound its expression in two currents,
one stressing structure while the other emphasized function.
Pure, extreme Modernism became more apparent in the architecture os Warsaw around the end os
the decade. It concentrated on questions of new form, and a new understanding of function and of the
social tasks set besore architecture.
I would like to move on to the characteristics os Modern trends and present several examples.
The sirst is the Moderately Modem trend with a touch os Constructivistic-Classic and
a reminiscence os Expressionism. It developed srom 1924 onwards, taking on the sorm of
representational public buildings with a concrete or steel sramework. Modern construction was the
starting point sor the sorming of regular plans, such as that seen in the library building os the Higher.
School of Commerce which is based on a square. It was built between 1925 and 1930 to a design by
Jan Koszyc-Witkicwicz. Simple, compact masses, or their multiples, corresponded to regular plans
using square, rectangular, or multi-sided modules. The vertical rhythms and subdivisions os the
elevation expressively indicated the construction and the internal structure (sig. 13). Continuity with
tradition was, in this case, based on maintenance of the principles os Classical composition
— symmetry, harmony, and rhythm — in contemporary understanding, as well as the use of detail
and ornament in the spirit os the Polish Expressionist Decorative Art. Traces os Expressionism and
Cubism, as well as native solk motiss, were interwined in the ornamentation os buildings. As and
illustration os this may serve pavilion os the Experimental Institutions os tfte Higher School os
Commerce, built by Jan Koszyc-Witkiewicz between 1924 and 1926. The geometrically stylized
decoration os the comers and its attic were the work os Wojciech Jastrz?bowski.3
Another version os this trend may be seen in the works os Rudols Swierczynski. The national
Economic Bank, constructed between 1927 and 1932, linked a sunctional plan, sramed structure, and
epressievely vertical elevations, with Classical reminiscences in its composition. The stone saced
elevations were decorated with bas relief sculpture by Jan Szczepkowski, maintained in the spirit os
Polish Decorative Art. Similar qualities may be seen in Swierczynski’s next work — the Ministry os
Public Works Building — raised between 1928 and 1931. The abandonment os ornamentation on the
sacade which was faced with clinker brick, and the signisicant presence os horizontal rhythms broken
only by the verticality os the central portion, were here further steps on the architect’s road to
Modernism.4
■ r •
The architecture os these buildings — somewhat reminiscent os the works os Perret — had its
primary roots Jn the tradition os early Warsaw Modernism (pre-dating 1914). Compositional
restraint caresul proportioning, and reverence sor materials and detail were traditional values
reinterpreted in a contemporary way in the work os Swierczyh&ki.
22
considered as the closing date sor the modern phase os the Warsaw nineteen-twenties architecture.
In sollowing the path laid out by Andrzej K. Olszewski — the author os the periodization and
terminology os 20th century Polish art — I will disfer in details.2 The reason sor this lies in the stress
placed on architectural rather than artistic criteria in subdividing and ordering buildings within the
currents os Modernism.
Modernist tendencies in the architecture os Warsaw in the nineteen-twenties may be attributed,
with some simplification, to three trends, separated according to the expressiveness os the three
elements os the architectural triad: structure, sunction, and sorm.
Works representing the Moderately Modern trend were chronologically the earliest; their
implementation appearing in 1924. They combined modern structural and sunctional solutions with
a continuation os certain older formal principles — mainly Classical composition in contemporary
interpretation and Expressionist detail, Moderate Modernism sound its expression in two currents,
one stressing structure while the other emphasized function.
Pure, extreme Modernism became more apparent in the architecture os Warsaw around the end os
the decade. It concentrated on questions of new form, and a new understanding of function and of the
social tasks set besore architecture.
I would like to move on to the characteristics os Modern trends and present several examples.
The sirst is the Moderately Modem trend with a touch os Constructivistic-Classic and
a reminiscence os Expressionism. It developed srom 1924 onwards, taking on the sorm of
representational public buildings with a concrete or steel sramework. Modern construction was the
starting point sor the sorming of regular plans, such as that seen in the library building os the Higher.
School of Commerce which is based on a square. It was built between 1925 and 1930 to a design by
Jan Koszyc-Witkicwicz. Simple, compact masses, or their multiples, corresponded to regular plans
using square, rectangular, or multi-sided modules. The vertical rhythms and subdivisions os the
elevation expressively indicated the construction and the internal structure (sig. 13). Continuity with
tradition was, in this case, based on maintenance of the principles os Classical composition
— symmetry, harmony, and rhythm — in contemporary understanding, as well as the use of detail
and ornament in the spirit os the Polish Expressionist Decorative Art. Traces os Expressionism and
Cubism, as well as native solk motiss, were interwined in the ornamentation os buildings. As and
illustration os this may serve pavilion os the Experimental Institutions os tfte Higher School os
Commerce, built by Jan Koszyc-Witkiewicz between 1924 and 1926. The geometrically stylized
decoration os the comers and its attic were the work os Wojciech Jastrz?bowski.3
Another version os this trend may be seen in the works os Rudols Swierczynski. The national
Economic Bank, constructed between 1927 and 1932, linked a sunctional plan, sramed structure, and
epressievely vertical elevations, with Classical reminiscences in its composition. The stone saced
elevations were decorated with bas relief sculpture by Jan Szczepkowski, maintained in the spirit os
Polish Decorative Art. Similar qualities may be seen in Swierczynski’s next work — the Ministry os
Public Works Building — raised between 1928 and 1931. The abandonment os ornamentation on the
sacade which was faced with clinker brick, and the signisicant presence os horizontal rhythms broken
only by the verticality os the central portion, were here further steps on the architect’s road to
Modernism.4
■ r •
The architecture os these buildings — somewhat reminiscent os the works os Perret — had its
primary roots Jn the tradition os early Warsaw Modernism (pre-dating 1914). Compositional
restraint caresul proportioning, and reverence sor materials and detail were traditional values
reinterpreted in a contemporary way in the work os Swierczyh&ki.
22