The Institute of Architecture Documentation of the Silesian Library invites you to the Katowice premiere of Anna Cymer’s book “The Long 90s: Architecture in Poland during the Transformation Era.”
The political transformation that began in 1989 brought about fundamental changes in every aspect of life, from politics and economics to the way people lived, shopped, and relaxed. Many of these changes were anticipated, some were much-needed, while others had negative consequences. Many of these transformations can be told through the buildings that were constructed during that time. Architecture serves as an intriguing record of the transformations of that era. How did the transformation manifest itself in architecture? What new forms and functions emerged, and what can we learn from them today? These questions will be answered by Anna Cymer during the meeting on May 9, 2024, at the Silesian Library (Parnassos Hall). The event will be moderated by Prof. Dr. hab. arch. Magdalena Żmudzińska-Nowak.
Anna Cymer began her journey into the history of architecture during her studies; her master’s thesis focused on the concept of a social housing estate using the example of the construction of the Rakowiec estate in Warsaw. Investigating the history of residential architecture, she delved into post-war housing concepts, eventually becoming fascinated with the architecture of People’s Poland as a whole – which led to her book “Architecture in Poland 1945–1989.” For almost two decades, she has been writing about architecture for both print and online media, both popular and specialized. However, she equally enjoys discussing architecture during lectures, presentations, and debates (many of which can be found on YouTube). Yet her greatest passion lies in exploring Poland with a camera in hand, seeking out interesting and lesser-known 20th-century architectural achievements. Both in her book on People’s Poland architecture and the one on the 90s, she features buildings discovered during these excursions, previously undescribed in detail. She can speak passionately about them and uncover the appeal of underappreciated structures.
Moderator: Prof. Dr. hab. Arch. Magdalena Żmudzińska-Nowak – professor, researcher, and academic teacher specializing in cultural heritage, conservation, adaptation, and revitalization of historical buildings, architectural theory, and urban planning. Affiliated with the Department of Theory, Design, and History of Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology and the Institute of Architecture Documentation of the Silesian Library. Additionally, she is a Visiting Professor and Member of the Doctoral School Board at the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio. She also maintains scientific cooperation with the University of Pisa. She has initiated numerous projects in the field of research and protection of cultural heritage, including “San Pietro Infine – the Place and Memory” (2019), “Lazio-Tuscany-Silesia: Heritage Sites in Conservation Perspective” (2020), “Lazio Paper Mills” (2021), and many others. She is the author of over a hundred scientific publications and the editor of ten books.
What connects the Silesian Library, the Katowice building of the PKO Bank, the faculties of Law and Theology of the University of Silesia, and the Provincial Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management in Katowice? Find out on May 9, 2024, at 17:00 in the Parnassos Hall at the Silesian Library (1 Rady Europy Square).
You are invited!
Returning to last Thursday, we once again immerse ourselves in the “long 90s,” vividly described by Anna Cymer during an author’s meeting led by Prof. Dr. Eng. Arch. Magdalena Żmudzińska-Nowak. The event, organized by the Institute of Architecture Documentation, was the Katowice premiere of Anna Cymer’s latest book, “Długie lata 90. Architektura w Polsce czasów transformacji” (Long 90s: Architecture in Poland during the Times of Transformation).
We thank the author for accepting our invitation and the participants of the meeting for attending and engaging in discussion.
Photo by A. Adamus, M. Antosz