Contemporaneity

Individualism and background architecture. Education dilemmas in the days of breakthrough

Karolina Tulkowska

Abstract

Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University was founded in 1915 as one of the four units of the newly established university. The Organisation Committee’s task was to outline the rules of functioning, including the principles of University educational program. The Committee members were architects and engineers who graduated from different European schools, universities of technology and academies and had various scientific and esthetical experiences.

Nowadays, we aim at organising a new university which is supposed to centre and shape our efforts; we aim at connecting creative activity at the deepest sources – architectural, painting and sculpture art; our goal is to revive old traditions, to maintain and develop the artistic tradition on the Polish land in order to compete with the Western Europe art with dignity like in the previous centuries.

The purpose of the program, which we present here, is to educate architects at the highest level and range – wide artistic culture and serious professional knowledge constitute guiding principles in form of a general study schedule as well as particular subjects1 .

Faculty of Architecture schedule was formed on the basis of the assumption that the architect’s profession is characterised by the need to associate and use the knowledge which comprises many different disciplines understood as fields of study. A lot of attention was paid to the connections existing between architecture and painting, sculpture and pattern-designing. In the group of scientific subjects which included, among other things, mathematics, mechanics, building trade, constructions, installations and cost estimates, technical basics of designing were also taught.

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Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University was

founded in 1915 as one of the four units of the newly es-

tablished university. The Organisation Committee’s task

was to outline the rules of functioning, including the prin-

ciples of University educational program. The Committee

members were architects and engineers who graduated

from different European schools, universities of technol-

ogy and academies and had various scientic and estheti-

cal experiences.

Nowadays, we aim at organising a new university

which is supposed to centre and shape our efforts; we aim

at connecting creative activity at the deepest sources –

architectural, painting and sculpture art; our goal is to

revive old traditions, to maintain and develop the artistic

tradition on the Polish land in order to compete with the

Western Europe art with dignity like in the previous cen-

turies.

The purpose of the program, which we present here,

is to educate architects at the highest level and range –

wide artistic culture and serious professional knowledge

constitute guiding principles in form of a general study

schedule as well as particular subjects

Faculty of Architecture schedule was formed on the

basis of the assumption that the architect’s profession is

characterised by the need to associate and use the knowl-

edge which comprises many different disciplines under-

stood as elds of study. A lot of attention was paid to the

connections existing between architecture and painting,

sculpture and pattern-designing. In the group of scientic

subjects which included, among other things, mathemat-

ics, mechanics, building trade, constructions, installa-

tions and cost estimates, technical basics of designing

were also taught. The schedule was complemented by

practical information as regards architect’s profession-

Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture.

A fragment of the rst schedule preamble of Warsaw University of

Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Warszawa 1915.

al duties. Plenty of time was also devoted to the issues

of history of art and history of architecture as well as

teaching urban planning in the historical and contempo-

rary context

[19].

The rst plan of studies comprised 4 140 hours of

didactic classes carried out within four years. Over 35%

(1 500 hours) constituted design classes. Historical sub-

jects comprised nearly 20% of time (810 hours), while

scientic subjects like building and construction – over

25% (1 080 hours). Almost 15% (600 hours) constituted

drawing, graphics and sculpture classes

For comparison purposes, in the study schedule for

the academic year 2008/2009 (for master’s and engineer’s

degree inclusively) realised for six years (4 + 2 years re-

spectively), the number of hours is 3 905. Design subjects

comprise nearly 39% of time (1 520 hours), historical –

circa 11% (450 hours), scientic building and construc-

tion – almost 17% (665 hours), drawing – less than 5%

(180 hours).

The schedule outlined in 1915 was nally shaped till

the academic year 1920/1921 without any bigger changes

[15]. Within this time, all planned didactic units started to

function:

– Departments: Urban Designing, Monumental De-

signing, Village Designing, Ancient Architecture, History

of Architecture, History of Art, Polish Architecture, Town

Building, Building Industry, Freehand Drawing;

‘Wydział Architektury na Politechnice w Warszawie. Program,

War szawa 1915.

The analyses of study schedules at Faculty of Architecture of

Warsaw University of Technology made on the basis of the informa-

tion contained in the university documents were worked out by the

author and used in the doctoral thesis: ‘The Method of Recording

and Accessing Historical Knowledge on the Example of Faculty of

Architecture of Warsaw University of Technology’, Warsaw 2010, pp.

255–270.

‘Program Politechniki Warszawskiej na rok naukowy 1920/21,

Warszawa 1920, pp. 85–86.

Karolina Tulkowska*

Individualism and background architecture.

Education dilemmas in the days of breakthrough

210 Karolina Tulkowska

– Institutes: Polish Architecture, History of Ancient

Architecture, Renaissance Architecture.

Program sources of Faculty of Architecture of Warsaw

University of Technology can be found in Polish and for-

eign schools educating future professors of architecture

– these schools functioned in Europe in the 19th century

and at the beginning of the 20th century.

The beginnings of architectural education in Poland

go back to the 17

century. At that time the rst Polish

Department of Geodesy at Cracow Academy was opened

[15], which – according to the foundation act – was sup-

posed to teach, among other things, military construction.

In 1632 at the same Academy, Department of Geometry

and Fortication was opened, the schedule of which in-

cluded the studies on Vitruvius ‘Architecture’

[20]. In the

18th century, some elements of architectural education can

be found in Engineering and Military schools schedules.

However, graduating from those schools did not mean the

right to practise the profession.

More or less until the middle of the 19

century, the

majority of architects in Europe studied in the master

systems and did not study at universities. A fundamental

way to gain experience and uency in the profession was

practice. At the end of the 18

century and at the begin-

ning of the 19

century, non-compulsory professional

examinations were introduced in many countries, which

were mainly taken by persons who applied for clerk

posts.

In the same period, rst universities with technological

sections were opened. In 1794 École Polytechnique was

endowed – a Parisian elite technical school. The method

of education in this type of schools was initially based on

a free choice from the courses comprising issues from dif-

ferent branches of technology. Around the middle of the

19th century, faculties with specic proles and examina-

tions during the course of studies were introduced in the

organisational structure of the university as well as the

obligation to present a master thesis

[2].

An important event for the development of architec-

tural education in Poland was foundation of Crown Engi-

neers Corps School in Warsaw in 1789. At the same time,

Lithuanian Engineers Corps School was open in Vilnius.

Architectural education was introduced in both schools.

In 1826 the Preparation School to the Institute of Tech-

nology

[1] was opened in Warsaw with the Department

of Civil Engineering which, among other things, educated

students in the scope of architecture and geodesy

[12].

The school, which was supposed to be transformed into

a university of technology, was closed after the outbreak

Suchodolski B., Historia nauki polskiej, Wrocław 1974, Vol. 6, pp.

658–660.

Zarębska T., Początki polskiego piśmiennictwa urbanistycznego,

Warszawa 1975, p. 404.

Anderson R.D., European Universities from the Enlightenment to

1914, Oxford 2004.

150 lat Politechniki Warszawskiej: kalendarium, Warszawa 1976,

pp. 2–3.

Ogolny programmat kursów wykładać się mających w Szkole Przy-

gotowawczej do Instytutu Politechnicznego w roku szkolnym 1830/1831,

Warszawa 1831.

of the November Uprising. As a result of reprisals which

took place after the uprising, Warsaw University and Fac-

ulty of Sciences and Fine Arts were closed in 1831. In

1844 School of Fine Arts continued teaching students in

the range of artistic education

[7]. After the school had

been suspended (1863) and then closed (1866), education

in the range of architecture on the level secondary school

took place in Warsaw.

In 1898 Warsaw Tsar Nicholas Institute of Technol-

ogy was created

[9]. Among three faculties of the newly

opened university Faculty of Engineering and Construc-

tion started its activity, at which architecture constituted

one of two specializations achieved on the level of a di-

ploma. All the classes were run in the Russian language.

After the University of Technology had been closed in

1905, in the years 1907–1910 The Society of Scientic

Courses developed its activity in Warsaw, which organ-

ized, among other things, construction courses at the ma-

jor of architecture.

In 1915, after tsar’s authorities had withdrawn from

Poland and the Germans had entered Poland, The Soci-

ety of Higher Scientic Courses and The Association of

Technicians made attempts to open Polish University and

University of Technology in Warsaw

[8]. Initially, the

major of architecture was planned to be opened as part of

Faculty of Engineering and Construction, however, due

to the efforts made by Warsaw Architects Club a separate

‘Architectural Faculty’ was nally opened.

In the Organisation Commission there were the fol-

lowing persons: Mikołaj Tołwiński (the chairman), Ru-

dolf Świerczyński (the secretary), Józef Dziekoński,

Czesław Domaniewski, Jan Heurich, Karol Jankowski,

Juliusz Kłos, Kazimierze Skórewicz, Tadeusz Tołwiński,

and Jarosław Wojciechowski. The architects Zygmunt

Kamiński and Apoloniusz Nieniewski as well as the en-

gineers connected with other Faculties of University of

Technology such as Henryk Czopowski, Wacław Pasz-

kowski and Ignacy Radziszewski also contributed to the

preparation of schedules

[14, 19].

We can assume that a diversity of experiences gath-

ered by the members of the Commission signicantly

inuenced the interdisciplinary and open character of

the Faculty. Starting from education which they got in

schools with technical proles (Faculties of Architecture

at Universities of Technology in Vienna, Karlsruhe and

Darmstadt; Faculties of Construction of Higher Technical

School in Dresden and University of Technology in Riga;

Faculty of Engineering and Construction of Tsar Nicholas

II Warsaw Institute of Technology; Institute of Civil En-

gineers in Petersburg; II Corps Cadets in Petersburg) as

well as with artistic proles (Tsar’s Academy of Fine Arts

Jakimowicz I., Ryszkiewicz A., Szkoła Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie

1844–1866, [in:] Rocznik Warszawski 1963, Vol. IV.

Kolbiński K., Politechnika Warszawska 1915–1965, Warszawa

1965, p. 22.

Kazimierski J., Nauka i szkolnictwo wyższe w Warszawie, War-

szawa 1987, pp. 401–409; 150 lat wyższego szkolnictwa technicznego

w Warszawie 1826–1976, Warszawa 1980.

Wydział Architektury…, op. cit.

Individualism and background architecture. Education dilemmas in the days of breakthrough 211

in Petersburg; School of Fine Arts in Warsaw; School of

Fine Arts in Cracow; Higher School of Painting, Sculp-

ture and Construction in Moscow) through rst design

attempts to the development of one’s own characteristic

style.

The formula of education, which was accepted at the

moment of creation of the School and developed during

the rst years of its activity, dened a specic prole of

Warsaw Faculty determined by consistent coexistence of

technical, artistic and historical disciplines. The plan of

the program enabled the student to choose to some extent

an individual way of education often based on coopera-

tion with a chosen professor.

A boom in philosophical thought and new tendencies

in art preceded by a rapid development of industry consti-

tuted the background for architectural activity at the be-

ginning of the 20

century. The more and more common

usage of new construction materials as well as the arising

need for functional architecture resulted in changes in un-

derstanding the essence of building creative activity and

the role of the architect.

A desire to leave the 19

-century historicism appeared

in architecture. The last decade of the 19

century brought

the origin of a new expressive style – secession. Moder-

nity in architecture was represented at that time by realisa-

tions of Chicago School in the United States and designs

by Perret and Garnier in Europe.

In 1907 in Berlin, Deutscher Werkbund was created

– the association organised by a group of artists and in-

dustrialists, which aimed at creating conditions for the

development of industrial production of high quality

based on valuable craftsmanship

[11]. The architectural

creative activity was characterised by purity of functional

solutions and simplicity of the form. The rst exhibition,

which presented realisations corresponding to the accept-

ed assumptions, was opened in Cologne in 1914.

In general, the character of European architecture

around the year 1915 was featured by fondness for his-

toricism, in particular, in the scope of average creative

activity. Representatives of the younger and progressive

generation of designers tried to leave traditional thinking

about art by heading towards rationalism.

Enlivening of artistic and intellectual activity, which

was restrained by the events of World War I, came back

after 1918 and was intensied by the development of in-

dustry and technological progress generated by military

needs. Rational thinking about architecture, whose sourc-

es were already embedded in the creative activity of the

century, was developed in the atmosphere conducive

to logical understanding and effective working. Dynamic

development of industry and building industry was ac-

companied by initiatives from the borderline of art and

technology.

In 1919 in Weimar, Staatliche Bauhaus was opened –

the school whose prole was determined by the respect

for craftsmanship, the awareness of unity of architecture,

Maciuika J.V., Before the Bauhaus: architecture, politics, and the

German state 1890–1920, Vol. 2, Cambridge 2005.

sculpture and painting as well as the conviction that the

best source of creative imagination is perfection of the

technique

[5, 6].

In 1917 T. van Doesburg established De Stijl group

which played a signicant role in the development of the

modern architectural thought

[13]. In this group there

were painters, sculptors and architects who created ac-

cording to neo-plasticism principles (geometric abstrac-

tion). This group introduced functional and constructivist

tendencies into architecture. It also contributed to the de-

velopment of the rational thought, the example of which

constitute Kiefhoek residential complexes in Amsterdam

(J. J. P. Oud) or cheap districts in Hilversum (W. M. Du-

dok)

[18]. The year 1914 brought ve principles of mod-

ern architecture formulated by Le Corbusier: detached

supports, free plan, walls independent on the construc-

tion, facades with wide (streaked) windows, and at roofs

with gardens. The innovative concept of understanding

architecture introduced new methods of building the form

which made the architectural composition independent of

the construction

[10].

In 1926 ‘Praesens’ group was established in Poland. It

was created by, among other, artists connected with Fac-

ulty of Architecture of Warsaw University of Technology:

Helena and Szymon Syrkus, Bohdan Lachert and Józef

Szanajca. The program of the group referred to function-

alism and constructivism and assumed synthetic unity

of all ne arts. Members of the group realized many de-

signs in which specic colours and forms were subject to

functional purposes. They actively took part in the works

of the International Congress of Modern Architecture

[3, 4].

In this atmosphere, architectural creative activity de-

veloped in Warsaw, which comprised both completions

of the existing city buildings and designs of new housing

development. By using new areas, among other things,

on the right side of the Vistula River or in Żoliborz it was

possible to build urban complexes, which are nowadays

commonly perceived as unique. While walking down the

streets of this district we have the impression that this

architecture – although often quite different as regards

style, form and scale – perfectly blends in with the exist-

ing structure and gives the space an unexpectedly uniform

character.

Building a new bridge on the extension of Aleje Jer-

ozolimskie in the years 1905–1913

contributed to the

opening of the new investment areas on the right side of

the Vistula.

Gropius W., Scope of total architecture, Ann Arbour 1962; Walter

Gropius The new architecture and the Bauhaus, Boston 1965.

Padovan R., Towards universality: Le Corbusier, Mies and De Stijl,

New York 2002.

White M., De Stijl and Dutch modernism, Manchester 2003.

Le Corbusier, Toward an Architecture, Los Angeles 2007.

Baranowicz Z., Polska awangarda artystyczna 1918–1939, War-

szawa 1979.

The bridge was opened to public in January 1914. In August 1915

it was blown up by Russians like other Warsaw crossings. It was burnt

after several months since its emergency repair. Reconstruction started in

1921 and lasted till 1927; in the meantime one road was opened (1925).

212 Karolina Tulkowska

The rst development plans of Saska Kępa appeared

already in about 1900. After the building works of the

bridge started, architects came back to the concept of

district plotting and in 1911 the municipal council pub-

lished the sketch of the regulatory scheme in which the

realization of villa housing development was planned

and the location of Skaryszewski Park was indicated. Ac-

cording to earlier assumptions, the arrangement of streets

was shaped in the radiant system with the central square

situated at the exit of the bridge. These plans were car-

ried out almost 20 years later. Numerous reasons and

conditions inuenced the spatial arrangement and char-

acter of Saska Kępa. A particular climate of the place,

which is today more appreciated than ever before, was

shaped, among other things, by architecture reecting

wide creative possibilities of architects working in this

area.

Walking along Saska Kępa, we can see not only exam-

ples of historicizing buildings but also buildings designed

in the spirit of functionalism up to elegant, classicising

modernism

The rst signicant investment in this area was the

so called Kolonia Łaskiego which was located in the re-

gion of the following streets: Katowicka, Obrońców and

Dąbrowiecka. The development complex was built in the

historicizing stylistics although with the usage of a mod-

ern gravel-concrete technology. Many structures, which

were built in the 1920s and 1930s, referred to tradition-

al forms and details. This also refers to the building at

Obrońców Street 33, the project of which is attributed to

Józef Vogtman – a graduate from Faculty of Architecture

Classication introduced by K. Koszewski in the study: Koncepcja

architektoniczno-historycznej bazy wiedzy na przykładzie Saskiej Kępy

w Warszawie.

of Warsaw University of Technology in 1933

[17]. This

structure was built quite late, i.e. in about 1936 and its

realization at that time shows the architects’ everlasting

devotion to historical inspirations.

At the end of the 1920s, the rst buildings represent-

ing architectural avant-garde were built on Saska Kępa.

Among them, there is a building at Katowicka Street

9/11/11a, which was built as a three-family terraced house

(it included the house and the study of Bohdan Lachert at

number 9, the house of Z. Lechowska (No. 11) and the

house of M. Ostrowska (No. 11a)). The project strictly re-

ferred to ve principles of modern architecture of Le Cor-

busier. The architects Bohdan Lachert and Józef Szanajca

were the authors. Both of them graduated from Faculty

of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology and

they defended their diploma in 1926 and 1927 respec-

tively. Bohdan Lachert worked as a didactic instructor; he

was a deputy of the professor in the Department of Indus-

trial and Economic Designing (1945–48); he obtained the

title of associate professor in 1948.

At the same time, i.e. in the years 1928–1929, the ar-

chitects realised – unfortunately not existing

any longer

– the Villa of Antoni and Olimpia Szyller located at Wał

Miedzeszyński 756. It was an outstanding example of ex-

treme functionalism with the form consisting of rectangu-

lar elements of diverse heights.

In the 1930s the development of Saska Kępa was sys-

tematically extended by buildings which belonged to the

modern architecture trend.

A good example can be the Villa of Andrzej Zaleski

Warszawska Szkoła Architektury 1915–1965, Warszawa 1967,

p. 295.

Destroyed gradually since 1945 and pulled down in 2002.

Fig. 1. Bohdan Lachert,

Józef Szanajca, The Building

at Katowicka Street in Warsaw

Individualism and background architecture. Education dilemmas in the days of breakthrough 213

by the structure consisting of simple forms of different

heights and facades deprived of details and shaped by

means of large planes of smooth walls. It is located in

a way which makes it possible to observe the composi-

tion from the most convenient places and directions.

According to the author’s description: ‘Forms of the

building were designed in such a way that there were

no short cuts from Miedzeszyński Wał’

[21]. Bohdan

Pniewski graduated from Faculty of Architecture at War-

saw University of Technology in 1922 and later he was

connected with this Faculty due to his didactic activity.

After the war he received the title of associate profes-

sor (1945) and then professor (1946). In different peri-

ods of his work at the Faculty, he managed the following

departments: Department of Designing and Architec-

tural Composition, Institute of Theory and Architectural

Architektura i Budownictwo, No. 8/1932, p. 240.

Criticism and Department of Public Utility Edices De-

signing

[17].

The house of Jadwiga Dobrzyńska and Zygmunt

Łoboda located at Estońska Street 6, which was designed

and realised in the years 1932–1933, is considered to be

an outstanding example of rational architecture. The form

of the building dened by the uncomplicated rectangular

mass referred to Le Corbusier creative activity follow-

ing his principles: a free plan, terrace on the roof, free

façade, streaked windows and a building on pillars. Jad-

wiga Dobrzyńska graduated from Faculty of Architecture

in 1922, while Zygmunt Łoboda in 1927

[17].

The villa at Obrońców Street 10, which was designed

by the architects Piotr Kwiek and Lucjan Korngold in the

years about 1934–1936, constitutes an example of luxuri-

Warszawska Szkoła Architektury..., op. cit., pp. 248–249.

Ibidem, pp. 274, 284.

Fig. 2. Bohdan Pniewski,

The House at Miedzeszyński

Wał in Warsaw. Source:

Architecture and Construction,

No. 8/1932, p. 237

Fig. 3. Jadwiga Dobrzyńska,

Zygmunt Łoboda, The House

at Estońska Street in Warsaw.

Source: Architecture and

Construction, No. 4/1934, p. 114

214 Karolina Tulkowska

ous functionalism. It was the building with diverse facades

arranged according to the principles of geometric abstrac-

tion. Lucjan Korngold graduated from Faculty of Archi-

tecture in 1921 and Piotr Kwiek in 1927

. These several

examples of prominent architectural works designed by

the graduates of Faculty of Architecture in the area of Sas-

ka Kępa can constitute the proof that strongly individual-

ised architecture can successfully intermingle with neutral

urban context and in this way enrich the space with charac-

teristic elements and jointly create genius loci [17].

It is worth emphasising the fact that the above men-

tioned architects studied at Faculty of Architecture at War-

saw University of Technology shortly after the University

was set up. Many students started their education before

the year 1920. However, it seems impossible to determine

a simple rule which would show the relation between the

date of submitting the diploma and the nature of further

creative activity. It also seems interesting that a probable

author of the presented most conservative works is the last

graduate of the School (Józef Vogtman, diploma in 1933).

Nowadays, if we look around Warsaw in search for

a contemporary equivalent of the housing estate of Saska

Ibidem, pp. 281–282.

Kępa quality, it is difcult to nd examples of organised

plotting on this scale at all. Perhaps, modern norms of the

investment market are not favourable for a reasonable

planning policy.

Against this background, the Town Wilanów seems

to be a particular example whose realisation has last-

ed for several years on the so called territories of Pola

Wilanowskie in the south of Warsaw. The housing estate

is designed on the basis of the local plans worked out by

the authors selected through urban competitions, which is

something really unique. Of course, the range and charac-

ter of the design signicantly differs from the above men-

tioned pre-war realisations. It refers to the scale and to

the intensity of the development as well as to the planned

functional structure which – apart from multi-family

residential buildings – includes trade, service and ofce

zones. The central element of the arrangement plan is

Świątynia Opatrzności Bożej (National Temple of Divine

Providence) – currently under construction.

It seems that in the perspective of several years, we will

have an opportunity to see whether the ambitious plans of

a private investor turn out to be effective. Will we be able

to sum up a walk around the Town Wilanów as satisfying

not only because of the quality of the public spaces but

also due to the character of the local architecture?

References

[1] 150 lat wyższego szkolnictwa technicznego w Warszawie. 1826–1976,

materiały z sesji naukowej 13–14 grudnia 1979.

[2] Anderson D.R., European Universities from the Enlightenment to

1914, Oxford 2004.

[3] Baranowicz Z., Polska awangarda artystyczna 1918–1939,

Warszawa 1979.

[4] Chrościcki J., Rottermund A., Atlas architektury Warszawy,

Warszawa 1977.

[5] Gropius W., Scope of total architecture, Ann Arbour 1962.

[6] Gropius W., The new architecture and the Bauhaus, Boston 1965.

[7] Jakimowicz I., Ryszkiewicz A., Szkoła Sztuk Pięknych w Warszawie

1844–1866, [in:]: Rocznik Warszawski 1963, t. IV.

[8] Kazimierski J., Nauka i szkolnictwo wyższe w Warszawie, Warszawa

1987.

[9] Kolbiński K., Politechnika Warszawska 1915–1965, Warszawa

1965.

[10] Le Corbusier, Toward an Architecture, Los Angeles 2007.

[11] Maciuika J.V., Before the Bauhaus: architecture, politics, and the

German state 1890–1920, Vol. 2, Cambridge 2005.

[12] Ogolny programmat kursów wykładać się mających w Szkole

Przygotowawczej do Instytutu Politechnicznego w roku szkolnym

1830/1831, Warszawa 1831.

[13] Padovan R., Towards universality: Le Corbusier, Mies and De Stijl,

Nowy Jork 2002.

[14] Piłatowicz J., Profesorowie Politechniki Warszawskiej w dwudzies-

toleciu międzywojennym, Warszawa 1999.

[15] Program Politechniki Warszawskiej na rok naukowy 1920/21,

Warszawa 1920.

[16] Suchodolski B., Historia nauki polskiej, Wrocław 1974.

[17] Warszawska Szkoła Architektury 1915–1965, Warszawa 1967.

[18] White M., De Stijl and Dutch modernism, Manchester 2003.

[19] Wydział Architektury na Politechnice w Warszawie. Program,

Warszawa 1915.

[20] Zarębska T., Początki polskiego piśmiennictwa urbanistycznego,

Warszawa 1975.

[21] Architektura i Budownictwo, 1926–1935.

Indywidualizm i architektura tła.

Dylematy edukacji w dobie przełomu

Współczesna kultura zbudowała przekonanie o konieczności po-

nadnormatywnej ekspresji.

Wyścig ikon generuje krótkotrwałe zainteresowanie i różnorodne

skutki w czasie. Teledyskowa lista przebojów znika w cotygodniowej

reinkarnacji. Miasto krzyczących fasad trwa.

Kiedy w roku 1915 członkowie Komisji Organizacyjnej tworzyli

podstawy programowe Wydziału Architektury Politechniki Warszawskiej

kontekst działań architektów odzwierciedlał ponad stuletnią destrukcję

państwowości.

Różnorodność upodobań i rodowodów upoważniała do przewidy-

wania niespójnych, kompilacyjnych efektów. Spotkali się m.in.: Józef

Pius Dziekoński, Rudolf Świerczyński, Karol Jankowski wywodzący się

z różnych europejskich szkół, politechnik i akademii sztuk pięknych.

Mimo to warszawska spuścizna dwudziestolecia tworzy spójny ob-

raz o ponadprzeciętnej jakości. Szkoła wykształciła „architektów klasy

średniej”, którzy tworzyli znakomitą architekturę tła: gmachy publiczne,

budynki socjalne, mieszkalne. O czym przekonuje spacer po warszawskiej

Saskiej Kępie, czy Żoliborzu.

Jakiej chcemy dziś architektury? Czy przez absorpcję ikonicznych

modeli zdołamy uporządkować krajobraz miast zniszczony przesz pół-

wieczne niedoinwestowanie i totalitaryzm? A może znów, bardziej niż

wirtuozów potrzeba nam mistrzów drugiego planu?

Key words: background architecture, individualism, education Słowa kluczowe: architektura tła, indywidualizm, edukacja