Contrast
Size
news

"Rebuilding What Was Lost" Conference Registration

Registration is now open for academics, researchers, and specialists interested in attending the "Rebuilding What Was Lost. Current Challenges in Restoring and Reconstructing Architectural Heritage” conference. The event will take place on September 20 and 21, 2023 in Warsaw.

An image with the title and date of the "Rebuilding What Was Lost" Conference.

The multidisciplinary "Rebuilding What Was Lost" conference is organized by the Saski Palace company together with the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, which will host the event in its main building – the Czapski Palace at 5 Krakowskie Przedmieście St. The partners of the event are the Association of Polish Architects SARP and the National Institute for Monument Conservation.

Registration is now closed.

"Rebuilding What Was Lost" Conference details

The topics of the conference revolve around the themes of restoration and reconstruction of historically significant sites. In the wake of the many dramatic events of the 20th century, the international community was faced with the challenges of protecting the world's tangible and intangible heritage. During this time, particularly because of armed conflicts, a whole range of sites of exceptional importance to both local communities and to humanity in general were lost.

Decisions to rebuild architectural heritage were taken not only immediately after the destruction and the end of hostilities, as was the case for example with the reconstruction of the Old Town in Warsaw after World War II, but also decades later, where the Berlin Palace, completed in 2020, can serve as an example. Today, this trend also includes the reconstruction of the Saski Palace, the Brühl Palace and three townhouses on Królewska Street in Warsaw – buildings that formed the western frontage of today's Piłsudski Square (Plac Marsz. Józefa Piłsudskiego) and which were deliberately destroyed during World War II.

These issues seem particularly relevant in the context of the destruction of historic buildings we are currently witnessing. The war waged by Russia against Ukraine brings, first and foremost, the loss of human life, but also the deliberate destruction of heritage which cements the society and conveys its history and identity.

Areas of interest covered at the conference

The international “Rebuilding What Was Lost” conference presents an opportunity to discuss issues related to the reconstruction of historic buildings or buildings that are designed in a historic form, such as conservation and architectural or urban planning challenges. It is also worth posing a question about the added value of initiatives aiming to restore destroyed buildings – not only in Poland, but above all worldwide – and to look at the challenges faced by the projects which incorporate historical buildings into the contemporary urban fabric while respecting the cultural and historical identity of local residents.

The following areas of interest will be discussed at the conference:

- Saski Palace, Brühl Palace – the value of reconstruction and the reconstruction of values

- Historical architecture in contemporary urban setting

- Traditional craftsmanship versus contemporary restorations

- Functions and social perception of reconstructed buildings.

Contact: konferencja@palacsaski.pl

Co-financed from the funds of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland "Reconstruction of the Saski Palace, the Brühl Palace and tenements at Królewska Street - preparation works".

news

Archaeological work on the grounds of the Brühl Palace - 2023 season

The first archaeological research on the site of the former Brühl Palace is behind us. In six months of work, almost 10,000 objects from different time periods of were found and inventoried. At the same time, archaeological research has made it possible to confront historical plans of the Brühl Palace with the actual state, uncovering […]

2023: summarising the activities of Pałac Saski sp. z o.o.

Two years have passed since the project to rebuild the Saski Palace, the Brühl Palace and three townhouses on Królewska Street in Warsaw began, implemented on the basis of the Act of 11 August 2021 adopted by the Sejm and the Senate. After the uncovering of the relics of the basement of the Saski Palace, […]

Help us rebuild the Saski Palace with your family photos

After analyzing data on the Saski Palace, Brühl Palace and townhouses on Królewska Street found in domestic and foreign archives, we believe that key photos from before 1945 are still waiting to be discovered in private collections. If you have family pictures of these buildings, share them and rebuild 300 years of Polish history with […]

The first season of the path “Around the basements of the Saski Palace”

With the weather deteriorating and the days getting shorter, the opportunity to visit the exposed foundations of the western frontage of Piłsudski Square came to an end at the end of October 2023. Within a few months, the educational path “Around the basements of the Saski Palace” attracted more than seven thousand people interested in […]
Wizualizacja, widok z lotu ptaka na odbudowany Pałac Saski na tle placu Piłsudskiego w Warszawie. Na pierwszym planie drzewa Ogrodu Saskiego w jesiennej szacie, w tle widoczne również zabudowania miasta.

What will the Saski Palace look like? Competition concepts

We already know the winner of the international and urban planning competition for the development of an architectural concept and area development for the rebuilding of the Saski Palace, the Brühl Palace and townhouses on Królewska Street in Warsaw. Let us take a closer look at the concept of the winner – the studio WXCA […]

Results of the competition for the rebuilding of Saski Palace

At noon on October 12, 2023, the results of the competition for the development of an architectural and landscaping concept concerned with rebuilding of the Saski Palace, the Brühl Palace and townhouses on Królewska Street in Warsaw were announced. Eleven architectural studios and consortiums participated in this international contest. In the second stage, five of […]
Kolorowa grafika z napisem Odbudować nieodbudowane.

"Rebuilding What Was Lost" Conference Registration

Registration is now open for academics, researchers, and specialists interested in attending the “Rebuilding What Was Lost. Current Challenges in Restoring and Reconstructing Architectural Heritage” conference. The event will take place on September 20 and 21, 2023 in Warsaw. The multidisciplinary “Rebuilding What Was Lost” conference is organized by the Saski Palace company together with […]

CFP for “Rebuilding What Was Lost. Current Challenges in Restoring and Reconstructing Architectural Heritage” Conference

Academics, researchers, and specialists are cordially invited to participate in the international interdisciplinary conference titled “Rebuilding What Was Lost. Current Challenges in Restoring and Reconstructing Architectural Heritage”. The event, which will be held on 20 and 21 September 2023 in Warsaw, is organised by Pałac Saski sp. z o.o. – the company tasked with rebuilding […]

Archaeological works commence at the site of the Brühl Palace

As preparatory work has been completed, an important moment has come – not only for the reconstruction process as such, but also for historians and local history enthusiasts. The Pałac Saski company is starting the first stage of archeological works to be performed on the site of the former Brühl Palace. Excavations will be carried […]