Issue 1(45)/2016

DOI: 10.5277/ARCHITECTUS

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Articles

Zygmunt Świechowski - Reconstruction of Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi (Georgia) as a contribution to the issue of reconstruction

doi:10.5277/arc160101

The article presents the reconstruction of Bagrati Cathedral in Kutaisi (Georgia). This cathedral was erected by King Bagrat III in 1003. It constitutes a characteristic example of the classical period of Georgian architecture at the turn of the 11th century and it is also a symbol of the establishment of the Georgian statehood. In 1692 the cathedral was blown up by the Seljuk Turks as a result of acts of war due to which the dome and vaults collapsed and the cathedral slowly deteriorated. In 1994 it was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site as a permanent ruin. In 2008 contrary to the doctrine of restoration as well as protests of the international public opinion and as a result of bold policy decisions its reconstruction began. The author, using the example of this cathedral, is against reconstructions of historic architecture.

Keywords:

    bagrati-cathedral

    kutaisi

    reconstructions-of-monuments

    doctrine-of-restoration

Elżbieta Grodzka - Post-Bernardine complex in Wrocław – the history of transformations and the post-war rebuilding. The 1962 project of the eastern wing as a pioneering restoration solution

doi:10.5277/arc160102

The article describes the phases of reconstruction and adaptation of the Bernardine monastery in Wrocław to the Museum of Architecture in the years 1956–1974 by Edmund Małachowicz. The paper presents a brief history of the creation of structures and a brief description of the destruction of buildings after World War II. Rebuilding of the monastery was carried out for nearly 18 years. In all of this period three phases of coming into existence of the complex were isolated. For each of these connection with current trends in the Polish conservation practice have been demonstrated and particularly interesting design solutions have been indicated. The description of each stage of the project was based on previously unpublished archival documentation.

Keywords:

    museum-of-architecture-in-wrocław

    edmund-małachowicz

    bernardine-monastery

    church-of-st-bernard

Monika Dąbkowska - Palimpsest in the transformations of the Cistercian abbey in Rudy after World War II

doi:10.5277/arc160103

The article is aimed at describing the transformations of the Cistercian abbey in Rudy Raciborskie after World War II. This architectural complex, established after the secularization was converted into a ducal palace. During the World War II medieval vaults, stucco works, details and elements of architecture were destroyed. However, due to that fact, medieval polychromes were revealed. All the conservation works conducted at that time were of purifying character and resulted in the destruction of all medieval paintings, patina on the walls as well as Baroque stucco works, which could have been left in the form of the so called “testimony”. This architectural palimpsest deprived the building of a part of its history and the losses are impossible to recover.

Keywords:

    cistercian-architecture

    rudy-raciborskie

    restoration-transformation

    purism

Małgorzata Milecka - To protect the original or a palimpsest – dilemmas of the redevelopment process of the historic garden in Białaczów

doi:10.5277/arc160104

The author of the paper, referring to the complex issues of protection of the historic park in Białaczów destroyed by a windwhirl in July 2011, discusses important issues connected with the protection of the original in Polish historic gardens and suggests developing conservation methods not only to rescue Białaczów but also to improve such activities in similar cases which unfortunately take place more and more often as a result of climatic changes. The residence complex in Białaczów (Łódź Voivodship) includes a huge landscape and forest park (over 22 ha) formed over the centuries by eminent designers (Lindauer, Stricker, Szanior, Tański). Until recently it was considered to be one of the most valuable historic gardens in Poland with high cultural as well as natural and landscape value. The scale of damage after the disaster was incomparable to any previous natural disasters to the historic gardens in Poland. Although the cleanup work began right after the tragic event, not much more has actually been done so far in order to save the valuable historic site from a total destruction. Apart from obvious difficulties connected with the character and scope of damage, the redevelopment process itself is highly complicated for a number of reasons. First of all it is necessary to define the objective of conservation work which so far has not been precisely planned. That objective should be to protect the original. The park is a centuries-old “account” of compositional transformations from a historic complex of maybe even medieval origin, to a huge 19th-century landscape complex that was still further developed at the beginning of the 20th century. Paradoxically, the damage to the trees revealed many elements of previously unclear layout. It seems to be extremely important to begin professionally conducted work as soon as possible in order to protect all of its elements and redevelop its space layout on the basis of the original remains of that historic site.

Keywords:

    monument

    park

    białaczów

    devastation

    revalorization

    authenticity

Grażyna Michalska - The Loreto Holy House in Gołąb. Lost heritage

doi:10.5277/arc160105

The main aim of this article is to draw attention to unsuccessful renovation works in the Lublin Region. The Lublin Region is famous for Mannerist architecture. The Loretto Chapel in Gołąb near Puławy is one of the most precious masterpieces of the Lublin Renaissance style (local variety of Mannerism). The Loretto Chapel was renovated in 2011–2012. During that renovation it lost much of its authentic artistic matters. The proof for this statement can be a comparison between the condition before and after renovation. The author asks for the reasons for unprofessional renovation, which was carried out without necessary procedures prescribed by Polish law.

Keywords:

    loretto-chapel-in-gołąb

    lublin-rennaisance-style

    renovation

    conservation-of-monuments

Krystyna Kirschke, Joanna Olesińska - The post-war reconstruction of J. Mamlok’s Department Store in Wrocław – an attempt at the palimpsest decoding

doi:10.5277/arc160106

The article refers to the after the war rebuilding of the damage of commertial objects in the Old Town in Wrocław. The nature of Wroclaw, like other cities, is constantly changing, which depends on many factors and determines the identity of the inhabitants. As a result of World War II, the city was severely damaged, but managed to protect a clear urban structure – a network of streets and the layout quarters. This prejudged the direction of reconstruction referring to the historical tradition especially since it was in line with the plan of General Conservator of Monuments Jan Zachwatowicz, assuming a full reconstruction of buildings intended for residential purposes. As a result of this action a significant portion of more than a hundred modern commercial buildings erected in the late 19th and early 20th century has disappeared. The former trading house J. Mamlok, built in 1905, designed by Simon & Halfpaap, is one example of reconstruction combined with changes in the function. In 1954 it was adapted to the object of teaching and office. The facade of the commercial building was changed completely and was similar to Wrocław Baroque townhouses. Realisation of the project was completed in the 1980s when the main facade was plastered “smooth” delimiting detail to constructing the plinth moulding. A few years ago the building has changed its user and acts as a hostel with a restaurant and pub on the ground floor and basements. It is still possible to see the steel structure of the former department store and the oldest walls on which it was built. Today one may wonder whether post-war actions were deliberate blurring of the old and creating a new layer of palimpsest city. But certainly the history of this small element of the city, took part in creation of the identity of its contemporary inhabitants.

Keywords:

    wrocław

    post-war-reconstruction

    j.-mamlok-department-store

    palimpsest

Marcin Górski, Grzegorz Rytel - Bem’s Fort and the mausoleum of the battle of Ostrołęka. Memory of place – place of memory

doi:10.5277/arc160107

Nowadays the site of the battle which was fought at Ostrołęka on the 26th of May 1831 constitutes a kind of a palimpsest of the written in space events that took place within the past 180 years. In the article the subsequent operations taken in the site of battles, in the context of changeable historical determinants, have been presented. The following changes in the countryside, starting from placing tiny elements commemorating both fighting parties, through the building of the fort, up to the complex over eighty-year long operations related to the construction of the mausoleum – all of them have been described in the article. The traces of some events faded as a result of subsequent operations, some others create together the present space of the site. All of them belong to the memory of place, tended by Ostrołęka inhabitants, the site which constitutes a significant element of the historical heritage, which results in creating the local identity.

Keywords:

    ostrołęka

    fort

    mausoleum

    palimpsest

    place-of-memory

Maciej Warchoł - Between authenticity and imitation. The problem of reconstruction of the historical carpenter constructions

doi:10.5277/arc160108

In the article the author tried to magnify the problematics of reconstructions of historical carpentry constructions in the monumental objects, which have appeared together with the development of European restoration in the beginning of 20th century. First it was connected with the trend of historical restoration and then with the reconstructions monuments destroyed during two world wars and in the consequence of fire or other disasters. The author signaled also appearance, in the recent years, of the examples of activities called reconstructions of the ancient carpentry constructions which don’t have anything in common with the reconstructions in the conservatory understanding and lead to the liquidation of the authentic constructions and their replacement by the imitations with no antique value.

Keywords:

    reconstructions

    carpentry-constructions

    carpentry

    roof-trusses

Rafał Zapłata - Authenticity of historic architecture and palimpsest in the historical space – new media and presentation of the cultural heritage

doi:10.5277/arc160109

The article presents chosen aspects connected with presenting and exhibiting historic architecture with the use of new media and digital techniques. Focus is given to the problem of authenticity of heritage structures and to the palimpsest of historical and modern spaces. Authenticity, as an important element for the appraisal of heritage structures, is treated and an important issue while creating digital presentations and reconstructions of historic objects and structures. Presentation of cultural heritage, which bases upon virtual and augmented reality, is perceived to be a temporary, noninvasive and alternative solution for exhibiting, for example, stylistically complex objects. The technologies mentioned in the title are also perceived as a way to “complement” changed or no longer existent objects and landscapes, or their elements. This method of introducing digital objects into reality creates a characteristic palimpsest – a temporary overlap of digital objects. At the same time, it evokes new relations, new interactions with objects, as well as a new form of contact with cultural heritage. In the article, the main topics are subject to a critical analysis, which allows to show the disadvantages of presenting “digital” historic objects of structures, as well as to pinpoint the potential of new technologies and to pose further research questions.

Keywords:

    heritage

    authenticity

    palimpsest

    digitization

    new-media

Ewa Łużyniecka - In memory of Professor Zygmunt Świechowski

doi:10.5277/arc160110

This article is an attempt at presenting the distinguished Polish architectural historian – Professor Zygmunt Świechowski who passed away on December 28, 2015 at the age of 95. The major part of the text regards Professor’s professional career connected with a lot of circles of scholars in Poland and abroad. Additionally, the article presents the personal observations of the author who first met Professor in the 1980s. They worked closer since 2003 when together with Professor Świechowski and Professor Robert Kunkel they started the research project regarding the medieval Cistercian architecture in Małopolska. The conclusion of those deliberations is the statement that all those who knew Professor will remember him as an eminent scholar and a great humanist.

Keywords:

    zygmunt-świechowski

    science

    academic-achievements