Warsaw: SiltaNews – News Desk
Conceived as Poland’s gateway to the world, the port city of Gdynia emerged during the interwar years as a powerful symbol of national ambition – and today, it is again basking in the spotlight, only not for its copious maritime achievements, but for what lies inshore: a remarkably preserved modernist core, unique on a global scale. After spending years on UNESCO’s Tentative List, hopes are high that Gdynia’s modernist architectural trail could finally secure a place on the prestigious heritage register, perhaps even as soon as next year.
“For me, what makes Gdynia’s city center so phenomenal is the quality of the designs, which still inspire contemporary architects, the unprecedented commitment of the city’s architects, and the pace of construction,” says Jacek Debis of Gdynia Miasto Modernizmu, an NGO dedicated to promoting the city’s interwar architecture.
That final point is no exaggeration. At the dawn of the 20th century, Gdynia was a minor fishing village with a population barely exceeding a thousand. Few would have heard of it. This would change in 1919 when the founding fathers of Poland’s Second Republic took the decision to counter the economic clout of the nearby Free City of Danzig (now Gdańsk) by building their own international seaport. Gdynia was the answer. Its development was swift, even meteoric – by 1939, the population had ballooned to over 120,000, with the city mainly taking its form in the 10 years that preceded the war.
Promoted by the government as “a monument to the entrepreneurship and culture of a great nation,” the town’s quickfire economic success drew waves of enterprising newcomers attracted by generous tax incentives and the promise of opportunity. Serviced by luxurious transatlantic liners, its port became Poland’s bridge to the modern world, and the city’s architecture followed suit – bold, forward-looking, and international in spirit. Young architects also flocked to Gdynia, embracing progressive trends that emphasized social justice: every home was entitled to light, air, and views. In line with this idealistic philosophy, the city’s aesthetic shed the gauche excesses of the past in favor of a clean, functional look. Less became more.
“The buildings were constructed at an incredibly fast rate, yet they all followed the stringent regulations imposed by City Hall,” says Debis. Often only differentiated by their varied corners, choice of plastering or the geometry of the window placements, the buildings that arose were minimalistic in their nature, yet distinguished by subtle, sometimes elegant nuances. “No-one in Gdynia designed for wow factor or to chase artistic acclaim,” says Debis. “Modernist architects adapted their creative egos to the challenging economic reality.”
The Wall Street Crash of 1929 triggered a global depression, and Gdynia was not immune to its effects. In this climate, the city’s architectural restraint and austerity were not only practical but also highly valued. But while Gdynia’s modernist center would come to be defined by its outward cohesion, closer inspection reveals a wealth of finer details. “The quality and timelessness of some of the terrazzo interiors, or the hand-laid micro tiles, still thrills design and architectural enthusiasts,” says Debis.
The center’s so-called “dancing staircases” have also captured the imagination of a new generation of photographers. “The use of reinforced concrete allowed architects to create sculptural, light-filled compositions, with forms and layouts that harmonize beautifully with the daylight streaming into the buildings,” Debis adds. However, ignorance remains a concern. Although Gdynia’s center escaped severe wartime damage, safeguarding its architectural integrity is an ongoing challenge.
“The greatest threat has passed, as I believe city authorities, developers, and most residents are now diligent about preserving the city’s architectural heritage,” says Debis. “Despite that, some property owners still lack awareness, and we still occasionally see valuable details – such as rare window and door fittings – ending up in skips.”
Such losses have at times been offset by surprising discoveries. “For example, the eagle that once adorned the Court’s portal was found in the 1990s, having been hidden during the war in a basement coal heap,” says Debis. Other finds have allowed historians to build a more accurate portrait of the city and challenge persistent myths likening its interwar architecture to the ‘White City’ of Tel Aviv, another modernist masterpiece. “The colors of Gdynia were far more diverse than commonly believed,” says Debis.
This was not a city of swan white colors, as some still imagine. In fact, most buildings waited years for their exteriors to be finished due to the high cost of finishing materials, and even when the facades were finally added the colors varied considerably. Even more surprising, though, was the pedigree of those who shaped the city center – these were not seasoned architectural superstars, but largely upcoming talents. “Many were very young, most often graduates of the universities in Lviv and Warsaw,” says Debis.
Among them were Zbigniew Kupiec and Tadeusz Kossak, a Lviv-educated duo whose practice would leave a glorious and lasting impression on the city. “Progressive and driven by the spirit of modernity, they created designs that were structurally sophisticated and exceptionally beautiful,” says Debis. Their mentor, Stanisław Ziołowski, also made a significant contribution, most notably with his design of the Bankowiec building – arguably Poland’s most iconic interwar apartment block.
Completed shortly before the outbreak of WWII, Bankowiec was hailed as Poland’s most luxurious residential block. Touting an eye-catching silhouette redolent of an ocean liner, the building featured amenities far ahead of its time: a mangle, laundry, cinema, and an air raid shelter with its own filtration system and food supplies. Apartments, meanwhile, were equipped with the country’s first electric refrigerators.
Yet this was not the only feather in Gdynia’s cap, something apparent to those following the ‘modernist trail’ set out online at Gdynia Miasto Modernizmu. Revealing such diamonds as the Municipal Market Hall complex (“Still one of the most daring and successful market halls of the 20th century,” says Debis), the District and Municipal Court (“Fantastic composition, ideal proportions, and expressive shape,” gushes Debis), and the current City Hall (the former Social Insurance office building), it is these treasures, says Debis, that truly capture the essence of 1930s European modernism.
Yet beyond these A-listers, it is perhaps the lesser-known nuggets that truly lend the city its swagger – for example, the former Marine Station with its distinctive pyramid-style roof, or the Opolanka apartment building with its deliciously rounded corner balconies. Passing them is like stepping into the pages of an Agatha Christie mystery or a Fitzgerald novel, immersed in the style and glamor of the 1930s. Bounded by forests, ravines, beaches, and the sea, Gdynia’s natural setting only enhances this atmosphere, lending the city center the feeling of a self-contained world.
“I believe Gdynia was born in that remarkable decade thanks to a unique convergence of factors: human talent – architects, builders, craftsmen – economic incentives, and geopolitical circumstances, all of which enabled the city’s modernist transformation between 1929 and 1939,” says Debis. The outbreak of WWII abruptly halted the city’s breakneck progress, with many of Gdynia’s creators either dying or emigrating as a result of the war. Their work, however, lives on, and should Gdynia be granted UNESCO status in 2026 – the city’s centenary year – it would be a fitting tribute to those visionaries who made the city what it was.