MEMORIAL MUSEUM IN PALMIRY

  • TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT: CULTURAL OBJECT
  • INVESTOR: Historical Museum of Warsaw
  • LOCATION: POLAND/PALMIRY
  • AREA: 1030 m2
  • DATE: 2012r.
  • COST: PLN 8000 MLN
  • AWARDS: Grand Prix „Leonardo” 2011 for the best „Construction” on International Biennale of young architects in Minsk /UIA/. 368 projects were presented by 272 competitors from 22 countries of Europe and Asia;
    European Property Awards in association with Bloomberg Television: Best Public Service Architecture in Poland 2011;
    Special mention in competition for Best Building Using Concrete Technology 2011- Polish Architects Association & Polish Cement Producers Association;
    Work nominated to the Building of the Year Award 2011 – Polish Architects Association;
    Work nominated for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies van der Rohe Award 2013.
  • TEAM:
    SZCZEPAN WROŃSKI
    ZBIGNIEW WROŃSKI
    WOJCIECH CONDER
  • CO-WORKER: MICHAŁ TATJEWSKI

 

Idea behind the project was to cut out museum space with simplest architectural elements and minimal impact on the surrounding pine – birch forest. Museum building becomes a part of the Kamplnowski National Park screened of with steel and glass walls and covered with green flat roof made of smooth architectural concrete, it is an exhibition space among the trees – mute witnesses of the tragedy from the past.

Rectangular block of the building is pierced with circular patios, which provide lighting between exhibitions, to spare and expose most precious tree specimens, which remind visitors of the context where the events of mass murder in Palmiry occurred. Single storey building’s front is turned towards main route accessing cemetery. Inside clear functional division is proposed. The exhibition space is closed on three sides with steel fence wall pierced with 2252 holes, symbolizing number of the buried on the cemetery for victims of German terror. Only in this direction is the internal space open with wide glazing guiding visitors view to three white crosses at the far end of the complex. Visitors movement is directed by internal patios separating parts of the exhibition.

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