The Institute of Architecture Documentation of the Silesian Library cordially invites you to a guided tour of the modernist building of the Educational Center of the Silesian Library.
The construction of the facility was initiated in 1924 by the Society of People’s Reading Rooms operating throughout the Second Polish Republic. Funds collected from a nationwide fundraising campaign for the development of reading in various regions of the country were allocated for this purpose. The amount collected in Silesia was substantial enough to justify the construction of a new, magnificent headquarters. In 1927, a closed competition was announced, inviting five architects to participate, with the project of architects Stanisław Tabeński and Józef Rybicki winning the competition.
In addition to learning about the history associated with the construction of the building, the establishment of the Silesian Library, and examining the architecture in the context of the broader concept of modernism, we also invite you to visit the following attractions at IDA-BS:
- The reconstructed architectural studio from the 1960s and 1970s of prominent Silesian architects Henryk Buszko and Aleksander Franta, authors of, among others, the Tysiąclecia Housing Estate and the “Gwiazdy” (Stars) on the Roździeńskiego Estate in Katowice, as well as the characteristic “pyramids” at the Recreational-Rehabilitation Center in Ustroń. Visiting the studio will provide a glimpse into the workshop and working atmosphere of previous generations of architects for contemporary audiences. The powerful drafting board with a concrete wall, a series of drafting boards, an illuminated table for copying projects, and original props from the 1960s and 1970s, such as technical pens, templates, logarithmic scales, and tracing paper, instantly transport us back to the creative architectural era of the second half of the 20th century.
- Visits and familiarization with the collections of the Architects’ Archive at IDA-BS, which collects, processes, and provides access to design documentation of renowned and esteemed post-war architects from Katowice and the Silesian Voivodeship, including Henryk Buszko, Aleksander Franta, Jerzy Gottfried, Jurand Jarecki, Wiktor Lipowczan, Edward Kisiel, Tadeusz Pfüzner, Jerzy Witeczek, Marian Zawiła, and others.
The tour of the Educational Center building, the Studio, and the Architects’ Archive at IDA-BS will be conducted by Iga Herok-Turska and Dr. Arch. Jacek Kamiński. Meeting point: Silesian Library (Educational Center), Katowice, ul. Francuska 12, ground floor – main hall.