NEW ESTATE AS A MONUMENT

Monumental housing development

The decision to build a new estate on the rubble of Warsaw ghetto was made without major controversies, choice of the architectural concept was left to be made. Initially, the Office for Reconstruction of the Capital, brooded over come back to ideas considered during occupation. In 1947, they took form of the project made by Warsaw tigers“, i.e. trio of Wacław Kłyszewski, Jerzy Mokrzyński and Eugeniusz Wierzbicki. The vision of „functional down town dwelling district“ corresponded to pre-war patterns, tried out in, among others, Zoliborz. Four and eleven floor high buildings were contemplated, with spacious apartments, corridor buildings, located within green area, making up „neighborhood like units with basic service points“. Remains of these concepts can be best seen in Southern Muranow, region of Karmelicka St. (back yard of Aleje Solidarności), where two floor high, compact multifamily buildings were erected, similar to typical pre-war developments of Zarząd Osiedli Robotniczych.

The concept of neighborhood unit dates back to the 20s, and arrived from the fatherland of capitalism, i.e. the USA. It was tested in the New York City, where regional plans were made, and constructing districts constituting closed microcosm. Unit consisted of 5-6 thousands inhabitants. Three units made district, the equivalent of the small town, where everyone knows each other, and maintain neighbour relations. A district comprised everything needed for every day life: schools, kindergartens, garages, shops, medical center, playing field, cinema, theater. The idea was to facilitate the life of residents, free them from necessity to travel to distant city regions to make shopping. Initial New Muranow was created for people, not for socialist ideas.

The map of a new estate

Architects concentrated as well on communication. The proposed to design high speed arteries located every 300-400 meters, partially on the basis of pre-war network of main streets such as Nowolipie, Leszno, Gesia (todays Anielewicza). Further, they referred to the new alley planned as early as 1915 by Tadeusz Tolwinski, which was to be the extension of Niepodleglosci Alley and Topolowa St (todays Chalubinskiego St), to be the main south-north way and connect rest of Warsaw with the new northern district of Zoliborz. Its parallel eastern equivalent was to be new artery laid out through the rubbles, without taking into consideration pre war network of streets, going frim Bankowy Square, to the viaduct over bypass railway, and further via Mickiewicza St to Zoliborz. It was to be surrounded by the most important cultural, service and commercial buildings, with the main administrative point of monumental edifice, of the above mentioned former military prison at the corner of Zamenhofa and Gesia after its reconstruction (previously Barracks of the Royal Artillery from 1874)

Metro line, known as Rapid City Rail, was also provided for on the plans of Muranow. Out of the designs by „Warsaw tigers“ only two communication projects were implemented, in addition in reverse order and far too late. First, wide eastern alley was created on the location of former streets of Przejazd and partially Nalewki. This street was named NowoMarszałkowska for just two years of 1947-48, then bore the name of the communist activist Marceli Nowotko, and finally from 1990, renamed to be the alley of general Wladyslaw Anders. In the 60-ties, representative Marchlewskiego Alley was finished further west, presently Alley of John Paul II. Creation of New Muranow was assigned to the team under yet another architect with pre war diploma – prof. Bogdan Lachert, who at least initially, used ideas of the „tigers“. Thus, the utopia begun to materialize, which in addition to Mariensztat, was to be one of the most beautiful quarters of Warsaw.