The "Lucień" Recreation Center is a forgotten relic of communist Poland, which can get a new life thanks to architectural passion. Responsible for its revitalization is Marcin Dryjer from the Faculty of Architecture at the Gdansk University of Technology, who developed the theme of the complex in his master's thesis under the direction of Dr. Małgorzata Skrzypek-Lachińska.
main entrance with mosaic
© Marcin Dryjer
from abandonment to protection
The project was inspired by an analysis of the condition of contemporary objects of postwar modernism in Poland. The "Lucień" resort - located in Miałkowek, a small village in Mazowieckie Voivodeship - was built in the 1970s on the initiative of the Zyrardow Linen Industries as a holiday base for employees. It features four characteristic buildings on a circular plan, the so-called Okrąglaki, once connected by glass corridors. Three of them (marked A, B and C) formed a compact establishment with a total area of about 7,000 m². Each building housed 120 rooms of a high standard.
After the political transformation, the resort was abandoned. Currently, it remains completely devastated, open and unattended, which has significantly contributed to its progressive degradation. The diploma project is an attempt to save this valuable example of communist-era resort architecture by giving it new, contemporary functions while preserving the original character of the place.
site development plan
© Marcin Dryjer
project assumptions - revitalization with respect for history
The project includes three main interventions: modernization of the existing Okrąglaki, construction of a new Conference Center in place of the single-story building, and erection of the Communist Party Museum in the location of the unrealized fourth pavilion.
The main functional premise of the complex is based on the idea of immersion - the spaces are meant to affect the senses and create a coherent experience of returning to the realities of the 1970s. This is achieved both through the choice of details and materials, as well as through the planned scenographies and forms of guest service.
first floor plan of the establishment and cross-section
© Marcin Dryjer
revitalization of okrąglaki
The three existing Roundhouses were treated as contemporary historic buildings. Their renovation, reconstruction of missing elements and adaptation to new functions were proposed. The central atriums of each building were transformed into gardens, roofed with a lightweight steel and glass structure. The interior walls were decorated with floral-patterned wallpaper, reminiscent of the aesthetics of the 1970s.
The first floors of each of the pavilions have been given diverse utility functions: a catering area, a restaurant and service establishments have been designed. One of the buildings was transformed into a dance hall - by removing the ceiling between the floors, a two-story, representative space for special events was obtained.
gardens
© Marcin Dryjer
conference center - modernity with a communist climate
A new Conference Center building has been planned in place of the existing single-story building. The building has two floors above ground and a usable roof terrace, serving as a foyer. The main entrance was designed on the eastern side and is inspired by the style of former resorts.
The architectural form of the new building draws from the aesthetics of the communist era, while retaining a contemporary character. Elements such as ceramic mosaics, suspended wooden ceilings, expansive terraces and natural facade materials were used. An important detail is the restored front door, based on original sashes found on site.
The building locates: an entrance space with a reception desk, conference and recreation rooms, technical facilities and a games and leisure area.
catering zone
© Marcin Dryjer
communist people's museum - a contemporary story about the past
The final element of the project is the newly designed Museum of the People's Republic of Poland, located on the site of the planned, but never built, fourth Okrąglak. The building is connected to the rest of the complex by a distinctive connector.
The building was designed as a neutral background for the existing buildings. Its body is defined by a central hollow cylinder - a space 20 meters high and 24 meters in diameter - which is an architectural metaphor for "lack" and at the same time the main spatial axis of the building. A system of ramps connecting all the museum's floors was placed inside.
Museum of the People's Republic of Poland
© Marcin Dryjer
In the central space an artistic installation in the form of a sculpture symbolically referring to the realities of the era was envisaged. The museum has been divided into a permanent exhibition zone, a temporary exhibition zone and a VR (virtual reality) section. Through the use of interactive technologies, visitors can immerse themselves in the everyday life of the People's Republic of Poland by participating in simulations and games inspired by the cinema of the period.
