Abstract

Gdynia is a unique city that is particularly interesting for architects due to its homogeneous architecture. The city, based on the structure of an earlier fishing village, was entirely designed and built from scratch in the interwar period, as was the case later for cities such as Brasilia and Chandigarh. Today, Gdynia is a modern port town that forms the Tri-City metropolitan area together with Gdańsk, the city of amber, and Sopot, an internationally popular seaside resort. Gdańsk was completely destroyed during the Second World War and was subsequently rebuilt as Polish Gdańsk; it serves as a bright example of reconstruction in Poland. Sopot is considered a museum of architecture from the turn of the twentieth century, full of Art Nouveau villas and nostalgic baths. Gdynia, in turn, is a city of avant-garde modernism from the 1920s and 1930s. Thus, the Tri-City combines three great trends of the past century which are the subject of intense debates among architects. This architectural guide is an excerpt from a broader publication, Architekturfuehrer Danzig: Gdańsk Sopot Gdynia, concerning the Tri-City metropolitan region. It presents the modern and unique city of Gdynia by way of eight city walks. The two authors go on a tour around Gdynia, presenting around 80 buildings and projects. The architectural descriptions, accompanied by an extensive collection of plans and photographs, offer ideal guidance for those who wish to get to know the city.

Authors (2)