ANNA HANAKA

 

The concept of housing development exhibition originated in the Wastern Europe just after the I World Was. It was implemented in Poland in the beginning of the 1930s. One of two Polish exhibitions of this type was organized in 1935 in Koło district of Warsaw: the BGK Housing Development Exhibition.

The purpose of such event organized on behalf of Ministerial Economic Committee was to spread the solutions for more affordable, aesthetic and better quality housing and to familiarize visitors with general problems of housing development in Poland. Informational character of the exhibition was fully justifiable since the lack of dwellings constituted a great social challenge in Poland, which additionally coexisted with low quality skills of local contractors. Housing development suggested by the organizers was meant to influence the quality of construction and stimulate the dwellings’ pool to grow. In addition, the BGK arranged a line of preferential construction loans for individuals. The exhibition area was arranged on state owned land situated on the outskirts of the city. Delineated area, 2,5 ha in size, was measured and subdivided, streets were drawn, plots were connected to city utilities and houses were erected in the last stage of the investment. The exhibition consisted of two parts: the exposition one with a pavilion and educational stands and the second one with collection of habitable houses: detached, semi detached and terraced buildings. Each street was developed with only one group of houses. The BGK exhibition complex created a momentum for further development of the estate alongside Obozowa, Bolecha, Dobrogniewa, Dalibora and Dahlberga Streets. interested ware able to purchase a site and build a house in accordance with strict architectural criteria enforced by BGK. Building designs originated mainly from the „Catalog of standard houses for small residential development”, which was composed of the best works selected in two architectural competitions for small, affordable house. The awarded designers were mainly recruited from the young generation of architects residing in Warsaw. Modernistic BGK estate has been preserved in a good repair until today, with the exception of over ten detached houses which were significantly extended and modified.

 

Keywords: Housing Development Exhibition in Koło, Warsaw, exhibition estate, single family housing in the 1930s, Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego National Economy Bank)