The iconic shelters are set to disappear from Metro Centrum station. For nearly 30 years, these blue ‘tubes’ have been a permanent feature of Warsaw’s cityscape. The semi-circular canopies near the so-called ‘frying pan’ have also become a symbol of the capital during the transition period. They will now be replaced by new entrances.
Metro Centrum: temporary for 30 years
Centrum station opened in 1998, three years after the launch of the first section of the Warsaw Metro between Kabaty and Politechnika. Construction of the M1 line began back in the days of the Polish People’s Republic, but after 1989 the project faced financial difficulties, which is why many elements were built quickly and at the lowest possible cost. This is precisely how the distinctive entrances came to line the underground railway line. They were built from steel painted blue and clad in translucent polycarbonate. The makeshift canopies were intended to last just a few years, but ultimately remained in Warsaw for almost 30 years.
A symbol of Warsaw in the 1990s
The blue entrances protected the escalators from snow, rain and wind, but they soon began to function as structures of much greater significance. They regularly appeared in films, music videos and television footage documenting Warsaw at the turn of the century. The so-called “frying pan” near the Centrum metro station also became significant. It is a sunken concrete square next to the metro exit and the underpass beneath Daszyńskiego Roundabout, where thousands of people pass through every day. It was there that concerts, protests, happenings and residents’ gatherings took place. For many Warsaw enthusiasts, the blue “tubes” have become as iconic as the neon signs, Ruch kiosks or shopping pavilions from the period immediately after 1989.
The Warsaw Metro is changing
Over time, Warsaw has been gradually replacing the distinctive canopies of the first metro line. The entrances at Ratusz Arsenał, Politechnika and Pole Mokotowskie stations have already been modernised. The biggest changes, however, took place along Świętokrzyska Street during the construction of the second metro line, where the old semi-circular entrances were replaced by glass ‘butterflies’ with coloured glazing specific to each station. Today, the Warsaw metro is a veritable architectural chronicle of the city’s successive stages of development. Within it, one can find blue tubes from the 1990s, modest pavilions, the glass canopies of the M2 line, and entrances concealed within buildings.
Centrum Metro Station to be modernised
The city has already obtained planning permission to build new canopies for the northern entrances to Centrum station, on the side facing Plac Defilad, the Museum of Modern Art and the former car park by the Palace of Culture and Science. In the first phase of the project, four structures will be removed: three entrances above the stairs and the lift canopy. A tender for the works is due to be announced shortly. The new entrances will be made of glass, steel and architectural concrete. The dominant colour will be anthracite, inspired by the aesthetic of the second metro line. As yet, no official visualisations have been published, nor has a date been given for the refurbishment of the entrances on the ‘frying pan’ side. However, it is known that the city is analysing the next stages of modernising the entire area around Rondo Dmowskiego and Plac Defilad.
Source: eska.pl, um.warszawa.pl
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