A new parish house is being built at St Barbara’s Church in Warsaw. The investment is part of a wide-ranging programme to revitalise St Barbara’s Gardens. The project involves the construction of a modern evangelisation centre and the tidying up and restoration of the historic area around the church. The new building in the immediate vicinity of the historic church could not be without dissent and controversy.
History of the parish and St Barbara’s Church in Warsaw
The origins of St Barbara’s parish date back to the 18th century. In 1781, a small church was built on the site of the former Swietokrzyski Cemetery, which has survived to this day, albeit in an altered form. In the 19th century, due to the development of Warsaw and the construction of the Warsaw-Vienna railway, the number of parishioners grew rapidly. The old church became too small, so it was decided to build a new temple. Construction was carried out from 1883 under the direction of architect Jozef Dziekoński. The new church was consecrated in 1886 and featured a marble altar, pulpit and baptistery. In the interwar period, a colourful polychromy was made using the sgraffito technique. During World War II, the church was almost completely destroyed. The Germans blew it up in 1944, leaving only the foundations and fragments of the altar. Reconstruction began in 1945 according to a design by the architect Stanisław Marzyński. The work was completed in 1957 and the church was consecrated by Primate Stefan Wyszyński.
Revitalisation of St Barbara’s Gardens
St Barbara’s Church and its surrounding gardens are today one of the more prominent landmarks on the map of Śródmieście. A comprehensive revitalisation has been underway here for some time, including the restoration of the statue of Christ and the sycamore, the care of the trees and the compilation of a catalogue of 19th-century artefacts. The revamped area is to gain more greenery and biologically active space. The alleyways will be made of permeable materials and the planting scheme refers to Lindley’s historic plans from the turn of the 20th century.
New parish house and evangelisation centre
The new building on Nowogrodzka Street is to serve as a parish house and evangelisation centre. The building will have four storeys and will be equipped with a number of environmentally friendly solutions. Rainwater will be collected in a retention basin and the terraces will have trees. The heating and ventilation systems are designed to be energy efficient and to have a minimal impact on the surroundings. The new building will house the parish office, archives, education and meeting rooms, as well as space for communities and pastoral groups. A chapel for prayer meetings is planned in the central area. The architectural design was prepared by the Juvenes-Projekt studio. Fr Tomasz Zaperty, the parish priest, emphasises that the investment is intended to improve the conditions for the community to function and enable pastoral activities to be carried out in a modern form.
The new parish house – architecture
The massing of the new building has been designed to be economical and harmonious with the historic surroundings. The architects opted for a simple vertical composition, the rhythm of which is emphasised by the vertical divisions of the façade. The facades were designed in light shades of stone and plaster, complemented by natural wood and glass elements. In this way, the building is intended to form a coherent whole with the church and the contemporary architecture of Nowogrodzka Street. The materials used are intended to emphasise the durability and timeless character of the investment. The designers took care to provide large glazings, which bring natural light into the interiors, and from the side of the gardens open up to greenery and common space. The terraces with plants have a utilitarian and ecological function, improving the microclimate of the entire establishment.
Controversy surrounding the investment
The construction of the parish house has stirred up emotions from the beginning. There were voices in the public space regarding the location of the building and its impact on the historic surroundings. Some opinions referred to the alleged location of the investment on the site of a former cemetery. The parish explained that the plot intended for the building does not include the area of former burials and that the works were preceded by archaeological research. The linking of the project to the planned Roma Tower skyscraper, which we wrote about HERE, also caused discussion. The parish explains that the funds received from the developer constitute financial support under the agreement and are intended solely for the construction of the new parish building. There are also objections about the impact of the development on the landscape of the downtown quarter, but the planners assure us that the architectural form of the parish house has been developed taking into account the scale of the surroundings and the character of the historic complex.
Significance of the development to the community
The new parish house is to replace the run-down vicarage, which does not meet current technical and functional requirements. The investment will create space for meetings, education and cultural events, as well as improving working conditions for pastoral workers. The construction of the evangelisation centre at St Barbara’s is the next stage in the revitalisation of this patch of Warsaw. Once completed, the church and its surroundings will become a place of prayer and, in addition, an important socio-cultural focal point in the heart of the city.
Source: St Barbara Roman Catholic Parish in Warsaw
Visualisations: Roman Catholic Parish of St Barbara in Warsaw
Read also: Architecture in Poland | History | Monuments | Sacral architecture | Squares, Squares, Parks | Warsaw
The church shortly after its commissioning and today. Source: Museum of Warsaw and Google Maps
The area around the church before and after construction began. Photo: Google Maps and Mateusz Markowski/WhiteMAD
