Piotr Zybura, a Wroclaw-based architect and founder of the arch_it studio, which has to its credit, among other projects, projects in the New Żerniki housing estate, the modernization of the InfoWuwa pavilion in the WUWA housing estate and the reconstruction of the Museum of Architecture, has created a unique collection of architectural graphics - posters depicting architectural icons from around the world.
The series includes such buildings as the Szczecin Philharmonic Hall designed by Estudio Barozzi Veiga, the Casa das Histórias museum designed by Eduardo Souto de Moura, the Scientific Information Center and Academic Library inKatowice designed by HS99 studio, the Fire Museum in Żory by OVO Grąbczewscy Architekci office, or the headquarters building of the Central Television of China designed by Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren of OMA studio.
left: CCTV, design: OMA; right: CINiBA, design: HS99
© Piotr Zybura
Ola Kloc: In your posters, you present simplified forms of buildings or focus on distinctive elements or details, showing the essence of objects. What does the design process look like?
Piotr Zybura: Indeed, on most of the posters the buildings are presented in a graphically reduced form, which allows to emphasize the important compositional or architectural features. However, there are graphics in which the details absorb me completely and I detail them endlessly - these just aren't in the selection below, as they remain eternal working versions.
The posters are created on the basis of collected projections, sections and photos, sometimes sketches from nature in the case of buildings that I had the opportunity to see in person. They are all created in a vector graphics program. Sometimes I use drafting geometry, sometimes I build a 3D model of an important part of the building or use photographs. This is sometimes quite labor-intensive, but it allows to understand the essence of design solutions and is an interesting way to learn about architecture.
Bauhaus Dessau, design: Walter Gropius
© Piotr Zybura
Ola: You create graphics depicting Polish and foreign buildings, what is the key in choosing them?
Piotr: Simple. I draw buildings that I like :)
Ola: When analyzing buildings while creating graphics, do you discover interesting elements or solutions that are not visible at first glance?
Piotr: Yes. For each building - including those I had the opportunity to see in nature - I first collect graphic materials, projections, photos, etc. I simply satisfy my architectural curiosity, while the posters are purely a graphic representation of the objects that attracted it. There are surprises or small discoveries, such as the shape and installation of precast reinforced concrete elements on the Brutalist Welbeck parking structure by Michael Blampied & Partners.
Ola: Thank you for the interview!
Left: Casa das Histórias, proj.: Eduardo Souto de Moura; right:Museum of Fire, proj.: OVO Grąbczewscy Architects
© Piotr Zybura
Posters in B2 and A3 formats can be purchased at the Museum of Architecture in Wroclaw and at the MA online store.
