The buildings of the former City Gymnasium and Bursa (at 2 and 41 Lastadia Street) are an important part of the city's architectural heritage. Thanks to the meticulously carried out restoration, they have regained their former splendor, and have become the headquarters of the Department of Geodesy of the UMG and the Gdansk Labor Office. The investors' efforts were also rewarded, the restored buildings won the Construction of the Year 2019 competition, organized by the Polish Union of Construction Engineers and Technicians in conjunction with the Ministry of Development and the General Office of Building Supervision.
The complex consisting of two buildings underwent restoration. The former City Gymnasium and Bursa, at 2Lastadia Street, was put into use on August 3, 1837. It was the first Danzig building in the Neo-Gothic style. Thus, it set trends in 19th-century Gdansk architecture. One of the most important artists of the era, namely Karl Friedrich Schinkel, took part in its erection. The edifice was given a plaque with the inscription Artium Liberaliumatudiis sacrum (The Tabernacle of the Study of the Liberated Sciences). The brick façade was decorated with pilasters and cornices. Unfortunately, the building was destroyed during the liberation of Gdansk.
The building of the former Municipal Gymnasium
© UM Gdañsk
The second building at 41 Lastadia Street in Gdansk was erected in 1875-1878 as the headquarters of the post office management. It was built in the Neo-Gothic style with numerous ornaments in the form of arches, pilasters, columns and cornices, as well as masonry made of ceramic shapes. Pilaster consoles and column heads were decorated with ceramic moldings with floral and animal motifs. The northern gables above the entrance were decorated with remnants of the rosette that existed there. Above the roof protruded the pinnacles, which had lost their finial. There were dormers on the roof, which were located lower than the historic ones when the roof was rebuilt after being destroyed during World War II.
restore former splendor
The investment, carried out by the municipal company Gdanskie Wody, helped restore the splendor of the building. The Architectural and Construction Company STYL from Gdansk was responsible for the project and POLAQUA was the general contractor. As part of the work, the northern wall of the former gymnasium building was uncovered and the flat roof, which in the original was hidden behind a high attic, was reconstructed, as well as the gables in the roof of the former post office building. All activities were carried out taking into account the historical value of the buildings, under conservation supervision.
Thermal modernization and nesting boxes
An important element of the investment was comprehensive thermal modernization and energy efficiency improvements, made possible by an EU grant. Thermal insulation was done from the inside - so as not to disturb the historic appearance of the buildings. This also means a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions (estimated at about 545.44 tons of CO2 per year), which is particularly important in an era of inevitable and progressive climate change. However, these are not the only pro-environmental changes to the edifice. Nesting sites for mazurkas and swifts have been restored in the building walls. The nest niches in the facade have been plugged with fragments of bricks - identical to those used in the building (only the entrance hole is visible). The drainage of the site is supported by small retention facilities - rain gardens, where special plant species were used to retain and filter rainwater.
award-winning efforts
The award in the 2019 Construction of the Year competition at the XXX Anniversary Gala in Warsaw was received by Renata Wiśniowska, director of investments, and Ryszard Gajewski, president of the board of directors of the municipal company Gdańskie Wody, which is implementing the investment. Ryszard Gajewski emphasized that:
Gdańsk is getting more beautiful, Gdańsk cares about its monuments. By restoring these historic buildings, we have saved an important part of Gdańsk's heritage and created a new interesting place in the city frequented by tourists and residents. We are proud that our efforts have been recognized in this prestigious competition.
The restored interior of one of the buildings
© UM Gdansk
Renata Wiśniowska talks about the biggest challenge of this investment:
The biggest challenge was the structural and construction issues starting from strengthening the foundations, replacing ceilings, strengthening the walls up to replacing the roof structure. A large scope also included restoration work on the exterior facades, thanks to which we can now admire their renewed appearance.
Director Wiśniowska received such an award for the second time. Previously, she worked in the team overseeing the construction of the European Solidarity Center awarded the title Construction of the Year 2014.
