Crossed-Out Warsaw
Crossed-Out Warsaw is a transmedia project developed by a team of young Polish architects from Pictureworks Studio, who have been researching on modernist Warsaw for the last 5 years. The result of their passionate team work is a virtual, interactive journey through the alternative centre of Warsaw – capital of Poland. In their VR experience you can see a city that has never happened - it only existed on drawings and plans of some of the most brilliant architects of that era.
In 1918 the country of Poland, after 123 years under occupation, got back its independence and appeared again on the political map of Europe. 20 years later the construction of a new capital began. In the heart of Warsaw one man, architect Bohdan Pniewski, has started to make his dream about the most important district in the city come true.
The Government District was designed including buildings like The Parliament, The Temple of Divine Providence, foreign ministries, state embassies, and headquarters of important public institutions. In Pniewski's vision a long, monumental central axis ended with an impressive modernist Temple of Divine Providence, which next to The Notre Dame Cathedral would seem extraordinarily massive. On the opposite side of the main Avenue appeared another urban giant – the new headquarters of Polish Radio – which could have been one of the highest buildings in Europe of that time, similar to New York-based United Nations headquarters designed by Le Corbusier almost 10 years later.
Those and others magnificent buildings never got realized. A wonderful dream of a newborn country was interrupted by Second World War in 1939. A vision of a pioneer architect was gone forever. Until today - when we can experience it in virtual reality.
In 1918 the country of Poland, after 123 years under occupation, got back its independence and appeared again on the political map of Europe. 20 years later the construction of a new capital began. In the heart of Warsaw one man, architect Bohdan Pniewski, has started to make his dream about the most important district in the city come true.
The Government District was designed including buildings like The Parliament, The Temple of Divine Providence, foreign ministries, state embassies, and headquarters of important public institutions. In Pniewski's vision a long, monumental central axis ended with an impressive modernist Temple of Divine Providence, which next to The Notre Dame Cathedral would seem extraordinarily massive. On the opposite side of the main Avenue appeared another urban giant – the new headquarters of Polish Radio – which could have been one of the highest buildings in Europe of that time, similar to New York-based United Nations headquarters designed by Le Corbusier almost 10 years later.
Those and others magnificent buildings never got realized. A wonderful dream of a newborn country was interrupted by Second World War in 1939. A vision of a pioneer architect was gone forever. Until today - when we can experience it in virtual reality.