TheWorld War II Museum, the European Solidarity Center and the Gdansk Shakespeare Theater are now mandatory points on the sightseeing map when visiting downtown Gdansk. In this alternative guide to the city, we recommend slightly different buildings, ones that stand out for their architecture (not only positively) or have strongly changed the landscape of the heart of the city.
Maritime Culture Center
This is one of Gdansk's best examples of how to blend modern architecture into historic buildings. Built in 2012, it stands next to the 15th-century Crane - one of Gdańsk's most important monuments. Such a demanding neighborhood was quite a challenge. And yet the end result is very good: the brick is a nod to the historic surroundings, and the unobtrusive glass leaves no illusion that the building is contemporary. A very successful reference to Danzig townhouses has been created, and there is a lot to see inside as well. The interior hides a modern museum, and the fourth floor houses a restaurant with a view of Motlawa River, Granary Island and "Soldek."
The Maritime Culture Center, built in 2012, stands next to the 15th-century Crane
photo: Ewa Karendys
Hilton Hotel
Another successful combination of contemporary buildings with the historic fabric of the city can be seen just a few hundred meters away, at the Fish Market. The Hilton Hotel, built in 2010, is located there. And here the surroundings are challenging: this is the Main City area, and in the immediate vicinity is the Gothic Swan Tower from the second half of the 15th century. The building, though modern, does not glamorize its form. The quartet of townhouses repeats the rhythm of narrow medieval plots, the facades are not bad.
Hilton Hotel in Gdansk
photo: Ewa Karendys
Riverview estate
On the banks of the Motlawa River at Angielska Grobla Street, Riverview - with its brick facades and soaring roofs - is worth seeing. This is a fresh development - the estate of seven buildings and more than two hundred and eighty apartments was completed in the middle of this year. It has brought a piece of good architecture to a part of the city that had been waiting for investment for years. The buildings are intimate and out of the way on the one hand, and close to the tourist heart of Gdansk on the other.
© APA Wojciechowski
Szymon Wojciechowski, architect of APA Wojciechowski, the studio responsible for the project, emphasized that:
Riverview has a very special location in Gdansk, hence it reflects the two faces of the city: the first - Protestant in spirit, the second - eclectic, baroque. Consequently, on the harbor side, the project received, referring with its brick facades to Flemish Mannerism, an austere and calm appearance. The other side is a row of townhouses that remains in dialogue with the bourgeois architecture present in the area. In the middle is a courtyard - a greenery-filled, semi-private space for residents, open towards the canal on the Stępka River.
Artus Park
This, in turn, is a building that should never be in the landscape of the heart of Gdansk. At the intersection of Dlugie Ogrody and Łąkowa Streets, from where it is close to Granary Island and the Gdansk marina, stands a building that stings the eye (of interest: it is here that Amber Gold had its headquarters). Its golden color, shoddy glass and finish do not match the buildings of the Main and Old Town. As a warning.
Artus Park in Gdansk
photo: Ewa Karendys
crooked hotel on Grodzka Street
Another object in the discussion series is located on Grodzka Street (from here it is close to Targ Rybny and Dlugi Pobrzeze) and is called "crooked hotel". The project was created by the Szotyńscy Architectural Studio, the same one responsible for the design of the Crooked House on Sopot's Monciak Street. The building was intended to be inspired by historical buildings in Gdansk, but what came out was a nightmare: with curves on the facades, which has nothing to do with its surroundings.
crooked hotel in Gdansk
photo: Ewa Karendys
The northern tip of Granary Island
Those who visit Gdansk after a break of several years can rub their eyes in amazement, because the northern tip of Granary Island has changed beyond recognition. It used to be a district of port warehouses. In the 17th century there were about three hundred granaries here storing thousands of tons of grain. Most of them were razed to the ground in March 1945, and for years the ruins of old granaries, ubiquitous brush and garbage haunted the area. Now more quarters of development are sprouting up, with apartments, hotels and services. And in early August a rotating footbridge connecting Granary Island with Długi Pobrzeże was opened.
On theright: a view of Granary Island
photo: Ewa Karendys
Gdansk Forum
One of the most talked-about developments of recent years. A large retail and service complex has been built on Targ Sienny and Rakowy. On the plus side: in front of the mall a square with an urban character and a public space with comfortable seating and a view of the Upland Gate was created. Unfortunately, the body of the building does not defend itself, especially in the part facing the historic Upland Gate. The result is a mix of different styles, it is difficult to find references to the surrounding architecture, not to mention that one of the buildings (the one housing the cinema), overwhelms this part of the city. Forum Gdansk has both many opponents and supporters, so it's best to see the mall and form your own opinion.
Forum Gdansk, a large shopping and service complex
Photo: Ewa Karendys
Ewa Karendys
journalist for "Gazeta Wyborcza Trójmiasto".
For those planning a trip to the Tricity, we also recommend the February issue of A&B dedicated to the architecture of Gdansk, a subjective guide to the city by Monika Arczynska and a mini-guide to Gdynia.
