Grochowska 272

The year 2009, which marked the 25th anniversary of the activity of Sinfonia Varsovia, was a particular year in the history of the Orchestra also on account of the decision of the authorities of the Capital City of Warsaw to purchase a real property in the Warsaw Praga district. Unused for years, the former seat of the Institute of Veterinary Sciences of the Warsaw University of Life Sciences at ul. Grochowska 272, was now meant to house the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra. This decision gave an opportunity to commence the investment process for the creation of a new cultural centre in the part of Warsaw located on the right bank of the Vistula River.

International architectural competition

In June 2010, by the decision of the Council of Warsaw and the President of Warsaw, there was announced an international architectural competition for the design of the new concert hall for 1,800 spectators and for architectural development of the real property at ul. Grochowska 272 in Warsaw. 349 applications from 46 countries were received, of which 137 were accepted for the first stage. The jury of the competition was composed of renowned Polish and foreign architects, sound technicians and monuments restorers as well as musicians from the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra. The jury selected 10 works for the second stage. Beside the winner, among the persons awarded there were Zaha Hadid Architects from London as well as famous ateliers from Warsaw, Copenhagen, Madrid and Budapest. The solemn settlement of the competition in November 2010, honoured, among others, by the presence of Warsaw’s President Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, and the subsequent public presentation of competition works held in the villa at ul. Grochowska 272 in December, were followed by a public discussion and presentation of winning ateliers. The winner of the competition, Thomas Pucher, also took part in them.

The concert hall and new cultural centre of Warsaw in the Praga district

The competition was won by the project entitled “The Musical Garden” by the Thomas Pucher Atelier from Graz, Austria. The jury of the competition was unanimous about this project, which is not common for such events. In the opinion of the jury, the project is the most accurate response to the competition task, the purpose of which was to create a new culture-forming centre of Warsaw – the place of presentation of classical music and other types of art as well as of free time and leisure. The work was praised for its unique assumption consisting in the creation of a separate garden area and a nearly sacral space in the public area of the city – the zone of inner calming, the vestibule to the temple of music. Also the individual and exceptionally strong concept of the concert hall, ensuring the potential of the space for obtaining extremely deep and high quality musical experience was appreciated, since it consists in combining exceptional acoustic conditions of a traditional shoe box hall with the captivating atmosphere and experience of the spectators from the vineyard hall. Freely winding ribbons of balconies for the audience and the glass wall between the main foyer and the concert hall are the main elements attracting our attention.

 

 

During the conclusion of the competition, Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, President of Warsaw, declared that she wanted the new concert hall to open in 2016.

Hence, Grochowska street is going to become a new cultural centre of Warsaw focused around the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra. Not only will it be an attractive place of presentation of classical music and other art genres – theatre, film, painting, photography or sculpture – but also the place for spending free time, be it in cafés or in the multithèque, and the space for discussion on major cultural events. Within the framework of the current activity, music programmes for children and youth as well as master courses improving professional skills of musicians will be organized. Moreover, the Orchestra will finally be able to create the season of concerts in its home city.

 

 

The realization of the concept of Thomas Pucher at ul. Grochowska 272 will contribute to the strengthening and culmination of changes taking place in culture in the right-bank Warsaw. Even now, it is the place where the most interesting initiatives on the cultural map of the city are created. Public space is developing, with works of the best world’s artists – the Park of Sculpture in the Bródno district, a modern place devoted to the local history – The Museum of Warsaw’s Praga – is being created, cultural education centres such as the modern culture house in ul. Podskarbioska and its branch planned for next year in Saska Kępa operate. Moreover, since last autumn Teatr Powszechny, with its modernized image, has been functioning in the area.

"Sinfonia Varsovia Center is an important project to our city - the candidate for the European Capital of Culture 2016. That is why we would like our center to serve the citizens of Warsaw in 2016." - Hanna Gronkiewicz-Waltz, Mayor of the City of Warsaw.

"Both myself and all the musicians of the orchestra are willing to offer years of our experience to support this project, hope that it will be implemented as quickly as possible and are looking forward to playing an inaugural concert in the new hall." - Krzysztof Penderecki, Artistic Director of the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra.

"The space of the Sinfonia Varsovia Center will be given to the arts. We want to fill this place with music, fine arts, multimedia, different shapes and forms. We believe that only through the cooperation of artists from all fields, we can not only save major values of culture, but above all we will promote new and valuable works that will change the image of the art, at both local and international level." - Janusz Marynowski, General Director of the Sinfonia Varsovia Orchestra.