Not long ago, PKP made the modernized Łódź Kaliska railroad station available to travelers. From the moment it was made public, the reconstruction project aroused emotions, not always positive ones. And what do architects think about it? Jakub Krzysztofik, founder of the 3DARCHITEKCI z wizją studio and president of the SARP Łódź Branch, presents his story about the Łódź station in a column for Architektura&Biznes.
Prologue: "Łódź k..."
A young man with a backpack walks out of the new train station in Lodz. He stumbles on the slippery stoneware and curses under his breath: Łódź k...
Lodz Kaliska
Photo: Axe © CC BY SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
Retrospect I (1991) Open Door
This young man is not Adaś Miałczyński. He is me. A boy from the provinces who wanted to become an architect. The old Kaliska Railway Station was recently demolished. I never saw it. Instead, there was a squalid temporary pavilion (it still stands today) and hamburger stalls. I came to the "open days" at the Faculty of Architecture. The dean encouraged us in the profession: construction was the first to fall, then maybe the first to rise. It rose last. Łódź k...
Lodz Kaliska - interior
Photo: Zorro2212 © CC BY SA 4.0 | Wikimedia Commons
Retrospection II (1994) A postmodern gem
Before I went to see the new Kaliska Station, I read an article in a trade monthly with beautiful color photos and computerized perspectives announcing the next phase of construction. Wow! Authors Jan Gorgul (lead designer) and Marek Skórnóg and Wojciech Garszynski (interiors) designed the station, which impressed me with its beautiful postmodern facade, referring to the Palladian motif of the serliana. The skylight vaulted interior enchanted me like a Renaissance basilica. Stoneware everywhere on the floor, facade, interior, Interesting decorative aluminum moldings on the walls. Great, modern and good style. Tasteful, not overdone postmodernism. Not overdone.
It is known I stage, still a lot to finish, but I like it. It will be good. It wasn't. The train station was never completed. The eastern viaduct was overgrown with trees, the platform canopies were never fully realized. Łódź k...
Kaliska railway station in the interwar period
photo: Wikipedia Archive of Włodzimierz Pfeiffer.jpg
Retrospection III (2012) I would have done it differently
Architect acquaintance: - I will never give this to Janek! - What? - I ask. - The fact that he demolished the old Kaliska Railway Station. Another critic, I think. - I would have done it better! Sure... but... I read about the history. Apparently I saw something, but only then I researched the subject more thoroughly. Indeed! What a marvel! Architect Czeslaw Domaniewski beautifully solved the platforms on railroad overpasses, and between them a courtyard, on it a palace station with beautiful stairs. Palladio for the second time! No, after all, it was the first. Well, it is indeed a pity... If time could be turned back... Łódź k...
New Łódź Kaliska, 2025
Photo: Jakub Krzysztofik
Today (2025) Praise of craftsmanship
I will not be provoked to criticize other architects. Pluses: copper facade, greenery, elevators, bike rack shelters. Minuses: a bit stiff, collision ramps for parking at the back of the station. So much. Long live good craftsmanship! Don't like the winning design? You congratulate the author, put on your bowler hat and leave (Bohdan Pniewski). You silently curse. .. boat k...
Futurospection (2055) Up to three times a piece (every 30 years)
The year is 2055, and I'm reading in Dziennik Łódzki: The city authorities and the management of the PKP opened the new Kaliska Station today, the old one having been demolished. The building was the result of a national architectural competition, preceded by careful public consultations, workshops and expert discussions with the community of architects, engineers and conservationists. The new building is very friendly to passengers, especially those with disabilities. Sunk among greenery with a green roof, it meets the highest environmental standards. It is perfectly connected to the region by railroad underground tunnels. The city authorities cooperated closely with PKP: a number of surrounding solutions complementing the investment were realized from the city budget: squares, fountains, bicycle paths, collision-free passages, passages, accesses and parking lots. Most importantly, young architects decided to restore it to its former form from the 19th century, paying tribute to Czeslaw Domaniewski.
I want my Lodz to grow, to have magnificent palaces, beautiful gardens, to have great traffic, great trade and great money!
Wladyslaw Reymont, Promised Land
Epilogue #ChangeIsPossible
We architects have a very interesting profession, full of challenges and ambitious goals. Many people envy us very much. It is known that in order to succeed, you need hard work (although it is not worth being a workaholic), a bit of talent and some... luck, but chance sometimes knocks very quietly. A chance to take the initiative in a project, to infect others with the vision of change for the better. It's worth a try, because support often comes from a completely unexpected direction. Architects aren't the only ones banging their heads against the wall, so why not get past it? Open your eyes and mind. See the world. There are many people who want to change something in their surroundings and in their lives. Nowadays 2-3 people united by a common goal is an army. I call it a "window of opportunity." There is one condition to cross its threshold. One must be prepared and have clearly defined goals. Above all, see the goal you are aiming for and know what success in architecture really is. If you don't love your work and don't believe in its meaning, you will never achieve professional and financial success. Architecture is about seeing. If you don't see the floodgates open wide in front of you and are unwilling to take a step into the unknown, to take risks, then give yourself a break. Change your profession. And don't complain about low wages, because you don't deserve more.
Lodz k... Kaliska
{tag:AutorAiB}
(subcontractor, subcontractors, subcontractors, subcontractors, i.e. the main designer of the urban planning concept for the area revitalization of the center of Łódź with an area of 67.5 hectares; areas 1,2,4).
