Warsaw. A new project for old tenement houses at Waliców Street

A concept for three pre -war tenement houses from Waliców Street was created in the well -known Warsaw architectural studio. The most damaged one would gain a huge roof.

The project was created at the request of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation, which deals with obtaining funds for the maintenance of the remains of the German extermination camp. It was created two years ago, but only now thanks to the social media it got loud about it.

– The Foundation turned to the Warsaw authorities with a proposal of cooperation, which was to lead to the saving of Ostanians at Waliców and to the power of the statutory conservation mission of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation by partly commercial use of the surface of preserved suriants. Total income obtained from this activity would be allocated to save the memorial site. A architectural design was created for this purpose – Katarzyna Kulik from the Auschwitz -Birkenau Foundation informs us.

Roof over the missing part of the tenement house

The project was developed by Grupa5 Architekci, a studio known for such projects as Gurewicz Pension in Otwock, a square in front of the Main Station in Wrocław or the Faculty of Radio and Television in Katowice (as co -author).

The architects proposed renovation of tenement houses at 10 and 12, covering the roof of their courtyards and covering with red brick walls. The biggest change would concern the address of Walice 14. This building is different from the others, because its front part was demolished during the Warsaw Uprising by the German army (during the attack it was used goliath). Two outbuildings survived in the depths of the plot.

The studio does not want to play the missing part of the object, but its outline would like to build a contemporary, envelope roof, supported by four massive poles.

“The introduced roof high above the space of the former front part of the building element of the feathers without its physical buildings. The roof creates a place separating them from the street space, ensures and at the same time symbolizes protection and shelter. The lack of introduction of walls under the roof ensures a combination of building space with the street, leaving a visible war wound” – we read in the description of the project.

The missing fragment of the tenement house in the street of the street would be supplemented with glazing so that, according to conservation recommendations, contemporary architecture distinguishes itself from historical.

“As part of our project, it is assumed to introduce a public utilities, office, service and exhibition function on the ground floor of buildings. The ground floor space under the roof of Walice 14 is assumed to be an exhibition of outdoor exhibitions related to the tragic history of the place” – describes Grupa5 Architekci. The exhibition part would also be found in the basement near the yard of “fourteen”.

The courtyards of all tenement houses would gain roofing, such classic Warsaw wells would change into modern atria, forming a kind of input halls. And the main entrance would remain where they are now, from Walice and Perec.

The architects also planned a small car garage on the level minus one level, at the back of the Waliców 10 tenement houses and Waliców 12.

The district takes matters into its own hands

However, everything indicates that only effective visualizations will remain after the project. – The city refused to cooperate in the implementation of the project – says Katarzyna Kulik.

Why was the city not interested in cooperation? – The Auschwitz-Birkenau Foundation applied for the transfer of real estate. According to information held by the district, this is not possible for formal and legal reasons. Therefore, the district took the initiative to develop buildings for public purposes. The case is analyzed by the Office of Architecture and Spatial Planning – says Kamila Kozłowska from the Wola District Office. And he emphasizes that the mentioned architectural concept is a “private initiative” with which the office has nothing to do.

A long way to construction works. Wolski Zakład Real Estate Management is just getting ready to announce a tender to develop a design concept for reconstruction and renovation. – In April 2025, preliminary conservation guidelines related to planned changes were obtained – including the adaptation of buildings to new functions – explains Kozłowska.

In connection with the lack of a project, the investment cost is unknown. There are no specific terms either. – The investment implementation schedule has not been specified. It should be assumed, however, that the preparation itself – including conceptual studies, design documentation, arrangements and obtaining relevant decisions – will take at least two years, due to the requirements of the law and the time consuming of administrative and tender procedures – admits the clerk.

Shadow of reprivatization and poor technical condition

Before the officials enter the construction site, there will be one more problem to solve. The tenement house under number 12 has a complicated legal situation in connection with the claims of the heirs. As we hear, the other two buildings are free of reprivatization claims.

These issues also influenced the purpose of real estate for public functions, because such facilities cannot be returned in nature. These can be goals related to culture, education or social care. Municipal flats will not return, which in the court interpretation of the small reprivatization act are not a public function, and therefore were threatened with a return.

Another question hangs in the air: will the old buildings survive in anticipation of renovation? After all, due to the condition of the buildings, all tenants were tailored from here.

– The facilities are covered by constant technical control. Security works are implemented on an ongoing basis to protect buildings against weather conditions and unauthorized access by third parties – assures Kamila Kozłowska. And he calculates that from the moment the facilities were entered in the register of monuments in 2017/2018, the district spent about PLN 1.8 million on their receipt.

Ostanians that saw a lot

Three tenements at Waliców are one of the last traces of pre -war Mirów. Established around 1910 as rent, in 1940-42 they found themselves in the ghetto, whose border was marked here by the wall of Herman Jung's brewery. At the beginning of the century, the wall was integrated into an office building, and in recent years an apartment building was built in its place. Tenements survived two uprisings and post -war demolition under the monumental housing estate behind the Żelazna Gate. They also survived the wild capitalism of the 90s and the development of the mature version of the system.

– There are a wall by the wall, strictly intertwined with each other, one would like to say: the shoulder by the shoulder, they support each other. They were looking forward to our time in a deplorable condition, but they stand – Jacek Leociak, an expert and researcher of the history of the Warsaw ghetto, described plastically.

Over a decade ago, an Italian architect from the Milan University of Technology fascinated. Guido Morpurgo has developed a detailed project for Ostanians. He also engaged his students who, as part of the Waliców Project program, presented their versions of the development of old tenement houses and their immediate surroundings. Morpurgo saw fragments of DNA of a non -existent city in the survivors, so he wanted to keep as much as possible from the original.

In the near future a luxury hotel will grow on the free plot of the nearest Grzybowska. According to Gazeta Stołeczna, the plot was sold last year for PLN 65 million. The construction of the hotel means covering one and the best known Warsaw murals with the inscription “Kamień and what”.

Ostańce is waiting for renovation