The Mazovian Provincial Conservator of Monuments has entered the complex of the former PAP Scientific and Technical Printing House at 65 Minska Street in Warsaw in the register of monuments. The complex was built between 1948 and 1958 to a design by Jerzy Brandysiewicz and designer Stanisław Zaleski. It comprises five buildings: a printing house, a residential building, a gatehouse, garages with a fire station and a transformer station, together with a landscaping scheme. The complex at Minska is the largest printing house in Poland.
Printing house at Minska 65 – a unique example of post-war industry
In justifying the decision, Marcin Dawidowicz emphasised that the complex at Minska Street is a unique example of post-war industrial architecture on a national scale. It is one of the few investments from that era that has retained its original shape and functional layout despite the passage of years. The Printing House was built during the implementation of the Economic Reconstruction Plan, at a time when the development of industry was considered a priority for lifting the country out of the ruins of the Second World War. The construction of the plant was not only of economic importance, but also of propaganda significance. The development of printing plants and the production of publications were an important element in shaping the ideological message in the communist state. The rapid pace of the investment and the considerable resources allocated to its construction reflected the importance that was attached to this institution.
The largest printing house in Poland and the history of printing
The Printing House at Minska Street was built on the premises of the former Central Automobile Works, adjacent to the printing works of the Printing Works of the Ministry of Information and Propaganda at Podskarbinska Street. The presence of these factories contributed to the industrial character of the entire Kamionek area. Over the following decades, the facility was a very important place on the map of Warsaw and national printing. The plant became famous for its high quality printing and modern technical facilities. The publications produced here were repeatedly awarded at home and abroad. An important element of the activity was also the care for the professional qualifications of the employees, which consolidated the reputation of the plant despite the economic and political restrictions of the communist period.
Architecture inspired by modernism
The complex, designed by Jerzy Brandysiewicz, is distinguished by its mature and well-thought-out architectural composition. The dominant feature of the complex is a tall building with an administrative and office function connected to a lower wing of the printing house with a diversified body. The whole is complemented by technical buildings, which together create a functional spatial arrangement. The design uses solutions inspired by pre-war modernism. The solutions used include bay windows, risalits, various forms of glazing and roofs, and combinations of materials such as stone, clinker and plaster. The layout and architectural detailing indicate a familiarity with Le Corbusier’s compositional principles, echoes of which were present among Warsaw architects at the time.
The largest printing house in Poland – the scope of the conservator’s protection
The entry in the register of monuments covers the entire historic building complex. The external features of the buildings are protected, such as their dimensions, method of finishing and materials used in the facades. The boundaries of the conservation area have also been established to preserve the historic spatial relationships and the scenic layout between the individual buildings. The decision of the conservator Marcin Dawidowicz is dictated by the need to preserve the historical and artistic values of the complex at Minska 65, which is one of the best preserved examples of industrial architecture of the post-war years in Warsaw.
Source: Mazovian Voivodeship Historic Preservation Officer
Photos: WUOZ in Warsaw
Read also: Architecture | Urban Planning | Monument | Warsaw | Architecture in Poland
