Ściana Wschodnia, Modernist architectural complex in Śródmieście, Poland
The Ściana Wschodnia is a building complex made of skyscrapers, medium-rise structures, and department stores along Marszałkowska Street that form a connected whole. It holds approximately 555,000 cubic meters of combined retail, residential, and office space.
The complex rose between 1962 and 1969 based on architect Zbigniew Karpiński's design, built on land cleared by the destruction of the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Its reconstruction on this site was part of Warsaw's broader recovery after World War II.
The complex shaped how Varsovians shop through its open passages and department stores that connect the buildings. Visitors can see how residents learned to move through modern, pedestrian-friendly retail spaces that were new to the city at the time.
The complex is easily walkable with passages between buildings that remain accessible even during bad weather. Wide pathways make it comfortable to navigate and reach the various shops and facilities.
The complex introduced Poland's first modern shopping passage, drawing inspiration from Rotterdam's Lijnbaan commercial district. This concept of connected pedestrian zones was completely new to the city at the time.
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