The Kielce Cultural Centre is an outstanding example of the ingenuity of Polish architects of the 1970s. The richly decorated walls of the foyer, the bas-reliefs by Adam Wolski, the ubiquitous greenery and the luxurious stone floor create a delightful interior. The thing is, however, that the KCK is almost a copy of Gdynia’s Musical Theatre, opened in 1979. The facility in Gdynia appealed so much to the governor of Kielce that he wanted to build almost the same building in his city. Unfortunately, the crisis in the following decade prolonged the construction from five to as many as twenty-one years.
The twin brother
In 1972, construction began on the new headquarters of the Musical Theatre in Gdynia. It is worth mentioning that the theatre began its activities in the 1950s in Gdańsk, and the site for the new headquarters was found at Grunwaldzki Square in Gdynia. The architect Józef Chmiel, who came from the Borderlands, together with Daniel Olędzki, created a modernist design of a theatre with an area of 14,000 square metres. It was the architects’ duo’s idea that delighted the governor of Kielce, Antoni Połowniak, during his visit to the building site in Gdynia. Interestingly, another well-known project by Józef Chmiel is the Opera Nova in Bydgoszcz.
Later that year, news circulated in Kielce about the intention to build a new building for the Stefan Żeromski Theatre. In 1974, demolition work began on Moniuszki Square. Unfortunately, an important monument of the area was also demolished, i.e. the Leonard Building, whose origins go back as far as the 16th century. The building housed a monastery and a hospital, later a lazarette, and after the war the building was taken over by the militia. A year after the demolition, Daniel Olędzki began design work.
The difficult situation at the end of the 1970s shook the investment, and the following decade effectively halted construction. The first section of the three-sector edifice was not handed over until 12 years after work had been halted, and Olędzki did not live to see it. Four years later, the large stage was handed over, thanks to help from the city, and the entire construction was not completed until 2002.
The fantasy of the 1970s.
The façade of the building steps back and its upper part overlaps the glass wall. The glass and façade panels are arranged like a chain in a pinwheel. A terrace was added to these segments and a fountain was installed in front of the building. It is also worth noting the metal reliefs decorating the walls of the building by Adam Wolski. The artist created abstract art, which in the KCK takes the form of long gouges.
However, the most impressive space in the KCK is the storied foyer lined with stone. The flowing form of the angled walls is further emphasised by the abstract decorations. The glossy patterns were composed in slightly faded colours, and some elements resemble simple geometric shapes and flowers. Mentioning the floral motifs, it is hard not to notice the foyer space flooded with greenery. Various plants, mainly palm trees, welcome visitors to the venue. Of course, there was also a red carpet on the floor.
Timeless beauty
When in the KCK, it is worth looking up and admiring the triangular ceiling segments together with the metal lamps winding like a chain of atoms. A similarly stunning venue is the large stage, which offers a substantial area of 520 square metres. The hall is equipped with two revolving stages, a capacious orchestra pit, a proscenium and a panoramic audience layout. The architects took care to provide excellent acoustics and advanced mechanisms, so that the venue meets high standards despite its rather old design. Interestingly, the main auditorium can accommodate 714 spectators.
There are also several smaller rooms in the building, including a small stage (220 spectators), administration offices and underground technical rooms. The entire building has 15,500 square metres of usable space, and in addition to the KCK, the building also houses the studios of TVP3 Kielce.
It must be admitted that even today this fifty-year-old project is defended by its ingenious architecture. The delightful decorations reflect the spirit of 1970s art, which does not at all mean that the building is outdated. Kielce has succeeded in creating an edifice which in many respects surpasses the Gdynia original. Besides, the current form of the Musical Theatre differs significantly from the original one due to the reconstruction carried out in 2010. Therefore, this Kielce Cultural Centre is a demonstration of the genius of Polish architecture of the 1970s.
Photo source: Kielce Cultural Centre
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