The tenement house located at Wilcza 60 in Warsaw is an original example of modernist architecture with elements of art déco. The building, whose history dates back to the 1920s and 1930s, reflects both the development of the capital city in the interwar period and the commitment of its creators to the shaping of the reborn Poland.
The plot of land at 60 Wilcza Street was purchased in 1923. The initiators of the investment were members of the academic corporation “Arkonia”, founded in 1879 in Riga. This association brought together Polish students of the Riga Technical University and aimed to promote patriotism, the formation of morality, honour and personal dignity among young people. After the First World War, when Poland regained its independence, ‘Arkonia’ moved to Warsaw and became involved in the reconstruction of the reborn state.
Among the members of ‘Arkonia’ were prominent Poles such as Adolf Ignatowicz-Łubiański, architect of the tenement house at 60 Wilcza Street and the villa ‘Pod Skarabeuszem’, Professor Jan Nielubowicz, pioneer of Polish transplantology, or General Władysław Anders, one of the most important commanders in Polish history.
In 1929, the small building that existed on the property was demolished and replaced by a five-storey tenement house. Its designer was Adolf Ignatowicz-Łubiański. In 1936, the eastern part of the building was added, four storeys high and topped with a terrace, also designed by Ignatowicz-Łubiański. The whole was distinguished by its modernist style with elements of art déco. During the Second World War, Wilcza 60 suffered severe damage. The façade and roof were damaged, but the body of the building survived. After the war, the annexe was demolished and basic repairs were carried out, which allowed the tenement to continue to be used.
The technical condition of the building’s façade, which had not received any serious renovation for decades, left much to be desired over the following years. It was not until the end of 2022 that a comprehensive renovation of the front façade was completed. As part of this work, the upper parts of the façade were restored to their original appearance, covered with a new layer of plaster and painted in a muted, light colour. The lower storeys, clad in sandstone with a fluted texture, underwent thorough conservation. Specialists have cleaned the surfaces of impurities such as black corrosion, algae and microorganisms. Secondary cement mortar was also removed, cavities in the stone were repaired and grouting was carried out.
60 Wilcza Street before and after the facade renovation. Photo: mamik/fotopolska.eu, licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 and WhiteMAD/Mateusz Markowski
Once the work was completed, the sandstone regained its former brilliance and natural shades, ranging from greys to yellows, oranges to delicate pinks. The shop windows of the commercial premises located in the ground floor of the building were not included in the renovation, as the housing community has no control over them. It is worth noting here the original drop-down grilles installed in the ground floor windows.
The cost of the renovation amounted to PLN 175,000, 48% of which was covered thanks to a grant from the City of Warsaw. According to the city hall, the restoration work is to be continued, covering other facades of the building, especially the courtyard facade, which requires urgent intervention.
Source: um.warszawa.pl
Also read: tenement | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland | Curiosities | whiteMAD on Instagram
