New windows in old buildings is a complex and difficult subject. Whether in listed buildings or in buildings that are not listed as listed buildings, but which are centuries old and therefore have valuable and original architecture – it is important to select windows that match the character of the building. The fact is that no one can forbid the owner of an old building that has not been declared a monument from installing the cheapest plastic windows in it. However, as can often be seen on the streets of Polish cities, they will not look good against the background of an aged façade. The façade of a building forms a coherent whole with the windows, and their presence in a given form results from the conscious action of the architect
Polish architecture suffers from the aesthetically unpleasant affliction of cluttering the window frames. While in newer buildings the window divisions are simpler and easier to replace with new ones that repeat the division of panes and colours, in older buildings these divisions are more sophisticated and complicated. As a result, townhouses or villas are often disfigured. The multitude of different windows disrupts the entire harmony and rhythm of the façade, and renovations combined with the replacement of the woodwork with a uniform one are unfortunately rare. This can be seen very well in the photographs we publish
Wrocław, Niemcewicza Street. Source: Wrocław – Building investments
And what do the regulations say? We asked Joanna Bielawska-Pałczyńska, director of the Office of the Municipal Conservator of Monuments in Poznań, about new windows in old buildings
However,when a property belongs to more than one person, complications arise
It should be remembered that the replacement of such a window, without an assessment of its legitimacy and an assessment of its state of preservation made by the relevant authorities, may be treated as the destruction of part of the historic substance and damage to the historic building, which is subject to criminal law
While historic architecture is protected by regulations and saved from such arbitrariness, old buildings that are not on the register are at the mercy of the owners. The new joinery should not disturb the style of the building and should resemble that originally installed in the building, i.e. duplicate the pre-existing shapes, size of openings, maintain the original colours and divisions of the glass panes. Unfortunately, the reality shows otherwise. More often than not, it is the lack ofa sense of aesthetics, architectural awareness and financial considerations that lead to the widespread tarnishing of Polish streets. Financial resources in particular are a major problem. Homeowners often choose the cheapest solutions, the aesthetics of which leave much to be desired. This is particularly evident in tenement and other multi-family buildings. Perhaps the solution to the problem would be a mandatory renovation fund from which window replacement would be financed? For the time being, the problem exists, and Poland still has lessons to learn in this regard
Source: twojdom.eu, dako.eu
Photos from Wrocław: Wrocław – Construction investments
See also: Architecture | Facade | Tenement | Historic building | Interesting facts
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