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European Centre of Solidarity

Gdansk, Poland, 2007

The Solidarity Centre is a Gate.
It is the Gate to the memories and history of Solidarity.
It is the Gate to the reconciliation of Polish society with its past.
It is the Gate to the knowledge of the struggle of Polish people with their oppressors.
It is the Gate which young people will walk through to make the past relevant and the present understandable.
The Solidarity Centre is a Gate to the Freedom.

The architecture of the building expresses its functions as well as its symbolic role within Gdansk and Polish society in general. It certainly will become the heart of Solidarity heritage as well as its visual image.

The form of the building is that of a Gate open to the Solidarity monument. It is covered by a large roof which houses the most important function of the Centre: its permanent exhibition on the History of Solidarity. The structure of the roof is carried by a cross construction resting on the two V-like pillars which make up the building.

The cross construction of the roof leaves two large openings which allow visitors to enjoy the view of the changing sky, creating a feeling of freedom when approaching and entering the Centre.

Client:
Municipality of Gdansk

Design:
2007

Area:
ca. 25.780m²

Collaborators:
Ingmar Faber,
Paolo Fontana,
Nadine Hill,
Lorenzo Calamia,
Marco Guerra,
Giacomo Orlando,
Duncan Marsden,
Szymon Schmeidel.