Recent media reports have aroused much excitement among Gdansk residents and lovers of urban architecture. It has emerged that the buildings on Długie Ogrody Street, known mainly for their links to the Amber Gold scandal, are to be demolished to make way for a new development. Many residents of Gdańsk have no sympathy for these buildings, but what is more alarming is the fact that a similar fate may befall the well-liked historic tenement houses on Szopa Street (address: 6A Długie Ogrody Street), built in the style characteristic of old Gdańsk.
The future of the “golden tenements” and buildings on Szopa Street
The buildings known as ‘golden tenements’ have never been appreciated by the inhabitants. Their aesthetic value was questioned and, in addition, they gained negative associations with the nationally famous Amber Gold affair, where the company had its headquarters. Nevertheless, the building has contributed to popularising the trend of combining modern architectural forms with the classic Gdańsk style. The plans envisage that a residential and office complex of up to 21 metres in height will be built on the site of the ‘golden tenement houses’, which is made possible by amendments to the local zoning plan. The investors ensure that the new development will harmoniously match the historic character of the city.
Photo: mamik/photopolska.eu
More controversial, however, is the planned demolition of the townhouses on Szopy Street. These buildings, built in the 1990s, were designed to reflect the spirit of old Gdansk. They are highly valued by locals and tourists, so their disappearance raises strong objections. Before World War II, Szopy Street formed a picturesque frontage of small tenement houses along the Motława River. Almost all of them were destroyed in March 1945. A quarter of a century ago, during the construction of a complex in the quarter of Łąkowa, Długie Ogrody and Szopy Streets, it was decided to partially restore the former row of houses. Their current owner, the Alides company, in an interview with ESKA Trójmiasto radio, announced that it was considering demolishing the complex altogether, as its current standard does not meet contemporary market requirements.
Is there any chance of preserving the townhouses of Szopy Street?
As the representatives of Tri-City Radio Eska also found out, the Pomeranian Voivodeship Conservator of Monuments does not treat these buildings as valuable heritage because they were built relatively recently. Consequently, legal protection cannot be counted on to save them from demolition. Alides’ representative, Luiza Grunwald, confirmed that the company treats the entire complex as a single structure and the preferred solution would be to replace it entirely with a new residential development with commercial premises on the ground floor.
Changes in the architecture of Gdansk and its identity
All indications are that the landscape of the Long Gardens will soon undergo a radical change. Although decisions have not yet been made definitively, the lack of objections from the conservator of monuments (even though the buildings are not a monument) and the investor’s desire to realise a new development suggest that the unwanted ‘golden tenements’ and the well-liked tenement houses on Szopa Street will soon disappear. Gdańsk may lose one of the most interesting architectural accents of the last decades, and its place will be taken by a modern investment, whose character and compatibility with the spirit of the city remain unknown for the time being. The project is due to appear in the middle of this year. Will residents be able to identify with the new development or will it be another case of the irreversible loss of a part of the local landscape? We will still have to wait for an answer.
Source: trojmiasto.eska.pl, muzeumpomorza.pl
Read also: Architecture in Poland | Metamorphosis | City | History | Gdańsk
