First Impressions
Thanks to my grandfathers privileges as an engineer constructor restoring the staircase in the Warsaw's historic Water Tower, I was able to accompany him on the inspection of the said monument. Although no longer the tallest building in Poland's capital city, the tower seemed to have more momentum in its structure than the neighbouring skyscrapers and restriction in access to its inside and outside created a rather mystifying ambience.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Vision Doubled
The natural environment surrounding the tower seemed to be put under the same preserving measures.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Engineered strategies in preserving nature
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
300 steps -15 degrees
My persistent fear of heights made the climb upstairs an adventure of its own. Grandad and the other experts focused on trying to discuss the potential changes in the structure of the staircase to make its consistent with current building and safety regulations. They knew all the potential modifications would be met with disapproval of the conservations officer. History and truth goes first.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Industrial innovations
The Water Tower was built between 1885 and 1886. It served its purpose as a stabiliser of pressure in the water system of the Upper City until 1924.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Tough and Exclusive
The entrance to the top of the Tower was a tiny door in the ceiling at the top of the staircase. The inside of the tower and its top surface access is strictly restricted to a few of the Filter Station employees maintaining the Tower.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Neighbours
Palace of Culture and Science is the epicentre of Warsaw and is clearly visible from the top of the Water Tower. As a relict from communist times and a gift from the Soviet Union, the Palace and its existence remains a subject of constant debate between supporters of its current 'destalinized' version as a cultural institution, and its opponents, often seeing it as an ugly symbol of the Soviet times.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Perks of the Job
My grandfather was unafraid to climb the top floor ladder and look 40 meters down the top of the Tower.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Like stacks of concrete
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Water: two states
Collection and distribution of water has become a politically charged topic, preserving goes beyond history and remembrance.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Museum
The Water Filters Museum offers an informed insight into the history of the station to a wider audience.
It gives visitors a chance to experience what they are not allowed to see in the tower.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Pressure
Interactive, multimedia expositions were balanced out by some old-school behind the glass artefacts.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Design speaking
The interior of the museum had to correspond to both remembrance and innovation.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
2, 3, 4 stages
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Audience building
Schools students and groups can take part in informative lectures in the lecture theatre within the museum.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Illuminated
The attractiveness of the displays makes learning nicer and easier.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Showcasing talent
Multiple trophies the museum employees won in fishing and other water related competitions.
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
Exhibition view: Ruskin School of Art Degree Show 2019
Exhibition view: Ruskin School of Art Degree Show 2019
H2O - Essentials of preserving within Urban Landscapes, Warsaw, January 2019
C-type print on metallic print, vinyl cutout stickers
The photographs are presented on a silver outline of the Water Filter station. Through this collage of quotes, photographs and the vinyl cutout blueprint I wanted to explore the themes of land, history, preservation of architecture and the human response to those issues.