Until a few years ago, the building at 30 Koszykowa Street was regarded as one of the most neglected in this part of the capital. The mesh-protected, shabby facade scared off passers-by and did not reveal its rich past. Meanwhile, at the end of the 19th century it was a prestigious address, and the design came from the hand of Stefan Szyller himself, one of the most important architects of his era. Today, the building is undergoing a complex process of restoring its historical appearance, while the aim of the entire project is to faithfully reconstruct the pre-war design of the monument.
History of the Koszykowa 30 building
The tenement house was built between 1897 and 1898 and originally had three floors and three outbuildings surrounding a courtyard. Its richly decorated façade was maintained in the spirit of eclecticism with clear Renaissance inspirations. An additional floor was added before the Second World War, but the building was badly damaged in 1944. During the reconstruction of the building, the top floor and the brick gables were removed, and in the following decades the building was stripped of all its elaborate decoration. Only the stone balconies survived, which were restored in 2014. In the post-war years, part of the outbuildings were also demolished and the site was used for the expansion of the telephone exchange on Piękna Street.
Façade reconstruction project at 30 Koszykowa Street
In 2022, the residential community commissioned a project to reconstruct the façade on the side of Koszykowa Street. The impetus for the changes was the very poor technical condition of the building, but it was finally decided to repair it. The project was prepared on the basis of photographic documentation, architectural research and on-site analysis. The idea is to restore the building to its former appearance, but without the superstructure of the inter-war period, but with the original finial. Due to the high cost of the work, it was decided to carry it out in stages. According to the plan, the community is now consistently implementing the successive phases of the project.
Renovation works – Koszykowa 30
The work started in 2023 and was initially funded solely by residents’ funds. At that time, the focus was on repairing the structure, reinforcing the lintels, re-bricking damaged sections of the walls and protecting the steel elements. Some of the cornices and simple architectural details were also restored. The surprisingly good effect of these measures resulted in the city reimbursing the residents for part of the costs incurred with a grant of PLN 285,600 in 2024.
Second stage of renovation on Koszykowa
Another phase of reconstruction is currently underway, this time supported by a grant from the City of Warsaw in the amount of PLN 384,000, which accounts for almost 60 per cent of the total cost. As part of the work, the rich stuccowork on the first and second floors is being restored. Garlands, wreaths, rafters and half-columns are appearing on the façade, and part of the walls are being covered with clinker cladding – all in accordance with the old designs. The last storey has only been protected for now, as it is expected to regain its original finial of arches and brick gables in the future. The work is scheduled to be completed this month.
Source: warszawa.wyborcza.pl, Mazowiecki Wojewódzki Konserwator Zabytków, Tu było, tu stało
Read also: Renovation | Tenement | City | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
Tenement house in the early 20th century, before superstructure and after renovation completed in 2023. Photo credit: M. Omilanowska, Stefan Szyller 1857-1933, Warsaw 1995 and Krzysztof Olszak/TBTS
The tenement house after the end of the war and before the first stage of renovation. Source: Warsaw City Hall, Office Archives and Google Maps
Koszykowa 30 before and after the 2023 facade renovation. Photo by Krzysztof Olszak/TBTS and Google Maps
