The railroaders will demolish another modernist station to replace it with a much smaller structure. A shopping center is to be built next to it. Travelers relegated to the role of customers will have less space, and the historic architecture will be completely destroyed. A contract for the construction of the new Olsztyn Główny train station has just been signed.
photo PKP - press materials
The existing station building is to be demolished, and a new structure will be built in its place. The structure will be built on a trapezoidal plan, with a roof extending beyond the outline of the facade. In the intention of the investor and designers from the Warsaw studio TPF, it is to resemble a sail - one of the specialties of the Warmia and Mazury region.
Photo: PKP - press materials
The building is to consist of three stories, including one underground. Both sides of the station, including the platforms, will be connected by an underground tunnel. Service establishments will be located on the west side, and on the east side - space for travelers. There will be ticket offices, restrooms and a waiting room on two floors. The lobby with extensive glazing is to serve a representative function. A conservation-protected mosaic will be placed in its space. Offices will be located on the second floor.
railway station-gallery
fot PKP - press materials
As in Krakow or Katowice, a shopping mall is to be built next to (and instead of) the station. This, in turn, is a project of Retail Provider, which has taken over the bus part of the Olsztyn station. The project will be developed separately from the railroad's investment.
far-reaching inspiration
photo by Sjaak Kempe / Wikimedia Commons
Being up to date with contemporary architecture, readers will certainly not be able to resist the impression that they have already seen the design of the Olsztyn station somewhere. The unique sail allegedly inspired by the local attractions of the Lake District, bears an uncanny resemblance to the commissioned Rotterdam Centraal station . Designed by the West 8 + Benthem Crouwel Architects + MVSA Architects office team, however, it is a monumental mass offering spacious public spaces inside and outside the building. The Olsztyn version appears almost like a miniature park attraction next to it.
an attempt to save
Visualization of the modernist train station after renovation
photo: Olsztyn Development Forum
Local community activists, architects and specialists in the fields of architecture and art history joined the fight to save the socmodernist train station . They pointed out the historical, technical and artistic value of the object, which are prerequisites for placing it under conservation protection. The most active in the battle to save the building was the Olsztyn Development Forum, which conducted information activities, including through a website dedicated to the building. In addition to the architectural ones, arguments of an urban and functional nature were raised, the coexistence of a bus and train station, the spaciousness and convenience of travelers, which will be reduced in favor of commercial functions.
denial of protection
Visualization of the modernist station after renovation
photo: Olsztyn Development Forum
In 2019, however, the Provincial Office for Historic Preservation refused to include the building in the register of monuments. Only the mosaics and the historic neon sign, which are to be incorporated into the new building, were protected. Three associations - the Olsztyn Development Forum, the Association of Polish Architects and the Association of Historic Preservationists - appealed the decision. However, the appeal, despite the mistakes made by the WUOZ and pointed out by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, was unsuccessful.
historic train station
Visualization of the modernist train station after renovation
photo: Olsztyn Development Forum
Unlike the new building, the design of the historic station is the result of an architectural competition. The closed procedure was conducted by the Railway Design Office in Poznan. The main prize and the opportunity to implement the project went to Zygmunt Klopocki and his team. Visual Arts Workshops in Olsztyn were responsible for the interior design. Their design was the work of Klopotsky himself and visual artists Edmund Lubowski and Zbigniew Bednarowicz.
The station was built in two parts. The first was a combined train and bus station, which was completed in 1969-71. In 1973 the second stage - a high-rise building - was completed. The edifice was characterized by careful interior finishing and the use of diverse materials - natural stone, washed terrazzo, fine plaster, wood and ceramics.
historical neglect
Visualization of the modernist train station after renovation
photo: Olsztyn Development Forum
Unfortunately, the station has never been renovated since its commissioning . Taking more rooms out of service has significantly reduced its functionality. In the 1990s, the building became overgrown with kiosks and booths, and its facades were covered with advertisements. Some of the glazing was covered with sheet metal, and the skyscraper was insulated by changing its color scheme to blue. What the buildings could look like if they were restored to their original appearance is shown in visualizations prepared by the Olsztyn Development Forum. They also feature solutions adapting the building to modern utility needs. From the visualizations beats the elegance of the modernist pavilion, its spaciousness and functionality, which one would look in vain for in a contemporary concept.
