The tenement house located at 5 Konopnicka Street in Warsaw was built between 1937 and 1938 according to the design of the outstanding architect Bohdan Pniewski. At the time, it was a luxurious rental house, located on a newly delineated street in the area of the former Branicki Park. At the time of its construction, the building was considered extremely modern. Today, it is distinguished by its simple sandstone-lined façade and elegant staircase with marble finishes.
The building suffered no major damage during the Second World War, and no major renovations were carried out on it after the war. However, time had left its mark on this valuable monument and years later it needed to be refreshed. In 2023, the housing association commissioned a survey of the condition of the façade and the terrace located on the top floor. It was revealed that many of the façade panels were peeling off, which required urgent repair work. Consequently, the decision was taken to carry out a general renovation of the façade. This work was carried out in the first half of 2024, with the financial support of the City of Warsaw, which provided a grant of PLN 182,000, covering almost half the cost of the renovation.
The stone cladding before the renovation. Photo: Stołeczny Conservator of Monuments
The conservation work included a full restoration of the sandstone stone facing. The slabs were thoroughly cleaned, all cavities and joints were filled. Loose slabs were firmly fixed to the wall with anchors or replaced with new ones. In addition, the terrace was repaired, and all work was carried out in accordance with the principles of conservation art. The housing association also decided to carry out conservation repairs to the staircase. Also for this work, a grant was received from the City of Warsaw, this time in the amount of PLN 113,000, which accounted for 49.63% of the cost of the project.
5 Konopnicka St. before and after façade renovation. Photo: Capital City Monument Conservator
The second phase of the renovation has just begun. The staircase has been preserved almost intact since its construction. It begins with a spacious entrance hall that leads to a semi-spiral staircase. There are smaller corridors on each floor, and the entire interior design is extremely elegant.
The walls of the hall and the lower floors of the staircase are decorated with marble cladding, which has been installed without joints. The stair treads are also made of marble, and the floors of the lobby and the landing between the floors are lined with a ceramic mosaic in matte black glaze. The ceilings, stair cheeks and walls on the upper floors are plastered. The stair balustrades are wrought steel with wooden handrails. All doors are made of oak, with the original handles partially preserved. As part of the renovation, the marble in the staircase will be cleaned, restored and polished, and the plaster on the upper floors will be repaired and replaced. In addition, works such as the replacement of minor secondary elements, including light switches, handles and lamps, are planned.
Source: Capital Conservator of Monuments
Read also: Architecture | Tenement | Renovation | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
