PAWEŁ WĄSOWSKI

Buildings of housing estates played a vital place in the architecture of multi-family houses in the interwar period, both in the quantitative and qualitative aspects. Structures with noticeable signs of expressionism represented a large group amongst these. Expressionist influences were emphasised in: 1. the shape of buildings, 2. the use of grey brick, 3. form of architectural details. Generally, the character of the majority of the described examples can be defined as designed in the spirit of moderate modernism inspired by expressionism.

1. Shape of buildings – characteristic features of expressionistic architecture includes sculptural shape of buildings, piling up curved or geometric forms, and dynamic shape layout.

2. Facade material – brick. With brick, prismatic, crystal and „zigzag” forms characterised by rough and broken lines could be completed in a simple manner. In the majority of cooperative houses this was grey cement brick.

3. Architectural detail – details and ornaments inspired by expressionism were characterised by forms based on triangles and rhombus. Such shaped elements had a sharp line and gave a definite contrasting chiaroscuro. The influence of expressionism resulted that cold, frequently rather squat forms in the spirit of moderate modernism, were revived and dynamised thanks to sharp line of details, providing the contrasting chiaroscuro.