The plans for the Muzeum Sztuki Nowoczesnej (Contemporary Art Museum) to be built in Warsaw have barely been revealed, and already the museum is one of the most controversial topics on the city's agenda.
This February, Swiss star architect Christian Kerez was awarded the commission to design the $91 million museum ahead of 109 other designs. While the jury decided that Kerez's light and elegant modern L-shaped design would best compliment its surroundings, including the Palace of Culture and Plac Defilad, Warsovians seem to have a different opinion. Perhaps it's because a foreigner was chosen over many Polish firms and designers, or perhaps the design will clash with the current architecture in the centre, as some say.
Either way, the museum is part of the city's efforts to revitalize its centre, transforming Plac Defilad into a proper city square, a meeting point like in Krakow - a place of culture and not just business, which is what Warsaw has primarily been known for. The museum is scheduled to open in 2010 and will house Poland's largest contemporary art collection, finally filling the city's modern art museum vacuum. Trust Warsaw Life to keep you updated on its development! |