Architecture and Architects in Socialist Poland

The book presents the history of Polish architecture and architects in the years 1944-1989, focusing on selected issues, including both the development of architecture itself and the conditions of practicing architecture in the socialist country. The history of architecture and architects in socialist Poland is described not only from the perspective of an architectural historian and researcher but also from the perspective of active participants in the events described. The text is based on historical sources and literature, as well as on numerous interviews with architects and urban planners who played an important role in post-war reconstruction, implementation of the socialist-realist doctrine, creation of the most significant buildings and monuments, and development of the local version of socialist modernism or post-modernism. It gives the floor back to those whose voice was hardly heard after the collapse of the socialist system in 1989. The book should become an interesting source of information for those interested in the material culture of former socialist countries. Although it focuses on socialist Poland, it can be used as material for comparative studies of mutual relations between East and West in post-war Europe, as well as for analysis of the situation of architecture and architects in socialist countries.

Blazej Ciarkowski, MSc and PhD in architecture from the Lódz University of Technology and MA in the history of art from the University of Lódz, is an associate professor at the Institute of Art History, University of Lódz, and three-term winner of the scholarship of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. He has authored numerous books and articles on modern architecture and the preservation of the modern movement's heritage. Blazej's research interests focus on modernist architecture, mutual relations between architecture and politics, and the preservation and conservation of modernist architecture. He is a member of Docomomo International, the Polish National Committee of International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), the Association of Art Historians, and the Association of Polish Architects.

List of figures List of Abbreviations Acknowledgements Introduction 1. The architecture and architects in socialist Poland 1.1. Political, geographical, and historical context 1.2. Architecture of the interwar period 1.3. Six stages of development of architecture in socialist Poland 2. Artist or worker? Architect in the socialist country 2.1. Education 2.2. State-owned architectural offices 2.3. Academic career 2.4. Architects in public administration institutions 2.5. Architects-politicians 3. Iron curtain or nylon curtain? 3.1. Foreign literature and journals 3.2. Polish architects in the Western world 3.3. International architectural competitions 3.4. Polish architects in the Middle East and North Africa 4. National in form, socialist in content 4.1. Between "old" and "new" times - architecture before 1949 4.2. The architecture of "Stalinist empire style" 4.3. New cities, new estates 4.4. Post-war reconstruction of Warsaw 4.5. Western and Northern Territories 5. Back to the modernism 5.1. Architecture and modernization policy 5.2. "Prestigious developments" 5.3. (Critical) regionalism 5.4. New city centres 5.5. Housing estates 6. Post-soc-modernism 6.1. Post-socmodernism or soc-postmodernism? 6.2. Churches in the socialist state - architecture of resistance 6.3. Against the Athens Charter - postmodern urban planning Epilogue Appendix 1: Biographies of selected architects mentioned in the book Index