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Modernism as a style in architecture was a response to problems that could not be solved by the existing architecture and the growing demands of society in terms of living space, hygiene and aesthetics. The emergence of modernism in architecture has opened a new era of industrial design. The main trends were created in Europe: the rationalism of BAUHAUS Walter Groupius in Germany; E. Mendelsohn’s expressive trend, Le Corbusier’s functionalism – a luxury trend in France and the Netherlands and Belgium, so-called Amsterdam neoplasticism.

Modernism as a current in architecture developed in two phases separated by the Second World War and the forced period of socialist realism. Post-war modernism had a much larger range. Its great bloom took place from 1956-1957 and lasted until the late 1980s.

In the interwar period, Gdynia was known by all of Poland. By building port and urban infrastructure, the state opened the way for private capital and entrepreneurs. Thanks to state funds, in a few years the most modern port in the Baltic Sea was built, and Gdynia became the maritime capital of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

In the spirit of the avant-garde of modernism, during a short decade of 3 years – Downtown Gdynia and key public buildings were created. In the city, there are rows of cubic tenements and blocks of streamlined buildings, reminiscent of shipbuilding.

 

Modernist building of Polish ocean lines (PLO), designed by Roman Piotrowski and built in 1935-36 in the center of Gdynia

 

Gdynia’s modernism is an excellent example of industrial, port and residential development, including villa architecture. The pearls of Gdynia’s modernism include: ZUS office building (currently the town hall) at ul. 10 February 24, District Court Building at pl. Konstytucji 5, “Banker” The housing complex BGK at ul. 3 Maja 27/31, Municipal Trade Fair Hall at ul. Wójta Radtke 38, Dom Żeglarza Polskiego at al. Jana Pawła II 3, Maritime Station at Polska 1 St., now Emigration Museum, Grain elevator, Hundsdorff House at ul. Starowiejska 7, or the beautiful Villa of the Countess Magdalena Łosiowa at ul. Korzeniowski 7.

 

 

“Banker” built in 1939 by employees of the National Economy Bank. The largest residential building in the interwar period in Gdynia

 

A magnificent theater building was also created in Gdynia, designed by the architects Daniel Olędzki and Józef Chmiel from the Gdańsk University of Technology.