Making alterations in an architectural work without the author’s consent under Polish copyright law

Joanna Kostrzewska

doi:10.5277/arc190211

Abstract

This paper tackles the issue of making alterations in an architectural work without the author’s consent. The analysis made therein is mostly based on the stipulations of ar. 49 cl. 2 of the Law of Copyright and Neighbouring Rights of 4 February 1994 in accordance to which a legal successor, even if he has gained full economic rights, may not alter the work without the author’s consent, unless the alterations are caused by obvious necessity and the author has no justified reason for objecting to them. The paper discusses the premise of obvious necessity and the premise of no justified grounds for objection. Problems which emerged in concrete cases are discussed herein in the light of court verdicts based on the said regulation. The analysis of these examples leads to the following conclusions. First – architectural works reveal some specific differences from other works of creation. Second – the specific character of architectural creation should be taken into account while construing the regulations pertinent to copyright and neighbouring rights. Third – the principle is the need to receive the author’s consent to alterations in an architectural work. Fourth – the exception to this rule is that the alterations in an architectural work can be introduced without the author’s consent if and only if both requirements have been fulfilled i.e. the obvious necessity and the absence of the author’s justified objection. Finally, the fifth – both the authors and the investors should definitely take into account not only the administrative-legal aspect related to a building process but, also, its legal aspect related to copyright issues.