Wrocław: tenement house on Kurkowa intrigues with colour

·1 December 2025

The tenement house at 61-63 Kurkowa Street in Wrocław has undergone comprehensive renovation, and the effect is quite impressive. The renewed façade and new colour, reconstructed details and extensive technical work have given the building the status of a real gem in the landscape of the Oder Suburb. Such a significant transformation aroused great interest among residents, who followed the progress of the renovation and commented extensively on the new appearance of the monument.

The tenement house on Kurkowa Street – a new look

Work on the façade was completed in the summer of 2024. The original plan was to give the building an olive shade, but the results of the stratigraphic research surprised everyone. This is because they confirmed the blue colour as historical and in accordance with the original design from the early 20th century. The use of this colour, which is unusual for Wrocław, completely changed the perception of the building and became its trademark. The façade reacts to the light, resulting in a change of tonality from cool steel tones to deeper blue hues. The new colour scheme has clearly raised the aesthetic value of this part of the street.

Recovered details and colours

During preparations for the renovation, documents describing the original appearance of the building were found in the city archives. Based on these materials, the damaged stuccowork and other decorations which had disappeared from the façade over the course of a century were restored. The work also included reinforcing the balconies and the roof and attic ceiling. The renovation also included the replacement of the window and door joinery with a coherent one, which took place recently, after the official completion of the renovation. The effect of the entire investment attracted a lot of interest among Wroclaw citizens and confirmed the accuracy of the conservationist assumptions concerning the original appearance of the façade.

Tenement house at Kurkowa Street – authors of the investment

Wrobud – Zabytki sp. z o. o. was responsible for the renovation of the façade and balconies, the roof was rebuilt by Przedsiębiorstwo Robót Budowlanych MASZBUD, while the design of the entire project was prepared by Pracownia AKT led by Katarzyna Tabiś. The joint efforts of the contractors and designers contributed to the timely completion of the investment. The price of the completed works was estimated at about one million zlotys.

Stages of modernisation of the monument

As part of further work, the tenement was connected to the central heating network and the rear façade was repaired, as well as structural work in the basement including damp proofing. In addition, toilets were removed from the common areas and electrical and sanitary installations were replaced in the areas provided for in the documentation. The scope of the modernisation also included cleaning and security works inside the building. After renovation, the building meets all modern technical requirements.

PoWROTY Kamienice

The tenement house underwent a metamorphosis as part of the PoWROty Kamienic programme. It comprises 100 municipal buildings. Modernisation work worth around PLN 250 million is to be carried out by 2029. Kurkowa 61-63 is listed in the municipal register of monuments and currently houses 14 council flats. The seven-storey building was built at the beginning of the 20th century. It is part of the historic development of the Oder Suburb, forming an elaborate spatial layout in connection with the Bourgeois Island and the Oder Islands. The restoration of the building and its neighbours has brought a whole new quality of space to this part of Wrocław and proved once again that every historic building hides its beauty.