Local Modernism is a research project comprising historical and archival study of selected (groups of) buildings and the related architectural theories from the 50s to the 70s as well as their contemporary reception and their impact on the perception of urban situations. It also includes publications, contemporary interpretation of historical materials, architectural and urban design projects for selected fragments of the urban space as well as artistic interventions. Artists' interventions in public space form another important part.
The project is carried out in collaboration with a group of young architecture designers such as Aureliusz Kowalczyk, Marcin Kwietowicz and Magdalena Paryna.
The project focuses on the following activities (selection only):
* discussions, meetings, workshops with architects such as Marcin Kwietowicz, Joost Glissenaar, Klaas van der Molen, Christine Binswanger, François Roche, Roman Rutkowski
* Lobbying a Pedestrian Bridge across the Olza river, connecting the Polish and Czech part of Cieszyn, by French architect François Roche. This idea was also promoted in the framework of the exhibition "The Parallel Action" in Cieszyn in 2004, where a one-day rope bridge was installed.
* Research as well as detailed archival and comparative studies into work of Oskar Hansen (architect, theoretician, visionary), one of the last living masters of modernism.
Born in 1923, Hansen studied in the 40s in Paris, including in Jeannearet's architectural studio and Leger's painting studio, and has been active as an architect in Poland from the 50s. His designs, particularly of housing estates, were carried out, albeit scaled down to the period's political and technological realities. He simultaneously carried out theoretic work, developing the linear city and open form theories, and his teaching work was revolutionary. His students include Swiss-born Roman Signer and, indirectly, Pawel Ałthamer.
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