Books require a special space. Not just any warehouse, but a real shelter that will give them a chance to survive for centuries to come. Literature as an important part of our culture requires care, also in the physical sense of the word. How to take care of it architecturally? A new building of the Museum of Literature designed by Atelier Tektura has been put into use.
shelter for books
Until now, the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature was located in Warsaw's Old Town. In the depths of the rooms of the tenement house, the literary output has long ceased to have sufficient space. In addition to storage space, what matters is the humidity, temperature, light and air quality inside. Archives, manuscripts, endless valuable book collections.... All require a special setting and a sensitive environment. In addition, employees, but also visitors or experts who are interested in literature, also deserve conditions that allow simple, free but safe access.
new space
The Museum of Literature has decided to expand the atmospheric facility. And at first impulse, one might frown, because, as is well known, the remodeling and revitalization of old buildings in Poland is a highly controversial issue. In this case, however, what matters is the good of literary culture. And in terms of usability, the museum's current headquarters are well past their glory years. Jaroslaw Klejnocki, director of the Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature, announces that within a year or two the institution's headquarters in the Old Town will undergo renovation, modernization and expansion. Among other things, the historic patio between the museum's two buildings will be roofed and designated for the exhibition section.
Museum of Literature warehouse | photo: Atelier Tektura
The first stage of the transformation was completed in January this year. A new concrete and glass edifice has been erected at 29 Trawiasta Street in Anin, at the rear of a building that the museum had already been using for several years.
This is the new warehouse of the Museum of Literature. It will accommodate part of the collection of the facility being prepared for expansion, which is located in the Old Town Square. - It will also serve modest exhibition functions, which will enrich Wawer's cultural offer, says the director of the Museum of Literature.
At the back of the existing facility, among tall trees, a project by Atelier Tektura was realized. The architects took care to preserve the pine forest and, using it, created an inner garden connected to the part open to visitors, also accessible directly from the street. From the garden, it will be possible to look into the exhibition area, thanks to glass showcases in the central part of the pavilion. The garden will additionally gain an inviting character, thanks to benches and appropriate lighting. The facades of the warehouse are smooth and monolithic. For the valuable collections, daylight is detrimental, hence windows have been provided only in the spaces intended for display.
Museum of Literature warehouse | photo: Atelier Tektura
no bigger than villas
This concrete and glass cube, although it gives the impression of being quite monumental, is relatively small, having been adjusted in scale to the villa-like development in this part of Wawer. It has only a little over 600 square meters of floor space.
The two-story building, with the first floor located at ground level, will house the logistics area, and next to the storage area, a maintenance studio will operate. The second floor, with the exception of the technical rooms and the object packing room, is occupied by a warehouse intended for the Art Department's collections, such as paintings, furniture and sculptures. The two floors are connected by a freight crane.
Museum of Literature warehouse | photo: Atelier Tektura
more than a warehouse
The construction of the Museum of Literature warehouse was financed by the Mazovian local government, to which the institution is subordinate (PLN 4.2 million), and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage (PLN 1 million). The garden has recently been covered with snow. One can already spot the first curious strollers. Thanks to its simple, monumental form, the building acts not so much as a warehouse itself, but also as a kind of monument, a tribute of architecture to literature. And while it still stands empty, employees are already preparing to transport the collection, and we curiously await the official opening.
