Building of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology

The building of the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology, located at 55 Koszykowa Street in Warsaw, is a significant landmark in the history of Polish architecture, serving this role continuously since 1915. Constructed between 1905 and 1913 according to a design by Antoni Jabłoński-Jasieńczyk for the 5th State Male Gymnasium, it features an early modernist form with Art Nouveau decoration. The building, erected using innovative construction techniques, consists of two three-story wings and a corner block with a spacious staircase. Russian influences and Art Nouveau elements, such as arcades and ornamental details, are visible in the architecture of the building. Important figures in the history of the Faculty include Oskar Sosnowski, who profoundly shaped Polish architecture, and Stefan Bryła, who was executed by the Nazis. During World War II, the building became the headquarters of an underground design studio. After the war, the university attracted significant creators who contributed to the country's reconstruction and the development of Polish architectural thought. Today, the Faculty of Architecture remains one of the largest centers for architectural and urban studies in Poland, educating over 1,000 students. The building has undergone numerous modernizations that have affected its functional layout and aesthetics, though it has been protected as a historical monument. The site also features important symbols, such as a memorial plaque dedicated to Oskar Sosnowski and a fragment of a mosaic from the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky. An interesting fact is that the building's history is linked to the adaptation of foreign designs, reflecting the architectural practices of that era. The Faculty of Architecture building is not only a place of learning but also an important element of Warsaw's architectural and historical culture.