#jarzabek

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The Church of Saint Maria the Queen of Peace, Wrocław, from Development series. First polish realisation of Wojciech Jarząbek's project after he migrated to Kuwait in the late 70s, where he maintained a prospering career as an architect, fitting well into so-called Modern Islamic style in architecture and working on and off till 1990. I have a new portfolio/website, and just published Development series on it. Come take a look.

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Ołowiana/Pereca, Wrocław, from short series on postmodernist architecture of Poland, chapter 1: W. Jarząbek

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Solpol department store with context of Świdnicka street, from short series on Polish postmodern architecture. Chapter 1: W. Jarząbek. 

Solpol is the most known project of W. Jarząbek, commissioned by Zygmunt Solorz, owner of the first major private television company in Poland in the early 90′s, and with most of the design being made in 120 hours. During it’s heyday, the cellar of the building was turned into a bar, where reality show Bar had been shot. Currently almost completely defunct. The request to add it to the list of national heritage monuments was turned down, but last month it was added to the list of goods of contemporary culture, which gives less protection, but still underlines the importance of Solpol. Owner wants to demolish it.

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Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 36, Wrocław, from short series on postmodernist architecture of Poland, chapter 1: W. Jarząbek

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Wybrzeże Wyspiańskiego 36, Wrocław, from short series on postmodernist architecture of Poland, chapter 1: W. Jarząbek

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Szwedzka 1-19d a.k.a. The Parrots, Wrocław. From short series on postmodernist architecture of Poland, chapter 1: W. Jarząbek.

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Solpol (context and details), Wrocław, 2021.

Solpol is the would-be youngest historical architecture monument in Poland. Built in 1992-93 on the main shopping street in Wrocław, it is considered a symbol of postmodern architecture in Lower Silesia and in Poland in general. The circumstances of its creation correspond to the turbulent period of political and economic transformation – Zygmunt Solorz, one of the richest Poles, decided to build on an empty plot of land by a representative street and commissions Wojciech Jarząbek, an internationally successful architect from Wrocław with fresh way of thinking and experience with building in postmodernist style. He gives Jarząbek’s studio only five days to prepare the general project. Over the years, the building lost its commercial importance, and in its basement staged a reality show that was broadcasted on Polsat, TV belonging to Solorz. Plans to demolish it and replace it with another building were protested with an official application to recognise Solpol as a historic monument. It was rejected. The owner wants to demolish it and use the parcel for a new investment. Critics of this decision bring up the role of Solpol, and Jarząbek’s work in general, in the recent history of architecture in Poland. Personally, I don’t think we have better embodiment of vaporwave.

An excerpt form Anew, a documentary series about the identity of contemporary Lower Silesia region of Poland.

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Kukułcza 1, Wrocław, from short series on Polish postmodern architecture. Chapter 1: W. Jarząbek