Synchronicity_1 - The exhibition


Warsaw is one of the biggest capitals of New Europe. It’s problematic past is still visible not only in the dysfunctional city structure. What is even more characteristic is an obvious lack of dynamism and vision in the municipal policy observed from the beginning of liberalization in Poland. The city seems to be paralyzed by the syncope of political elections, an impossibility of continuing any long-term plans and an obvious myopia of local authorities when it comes to the evaluation of Warsaw’s potential. Lack of vision doesn’t show only in the elaboration and execution of masterplans, it’s other side is the lack of idea “what” Warsaw should become, what are this city’s ambitions, how Warsaw should be perceived and marketed.
Our exhibition’s main idea is to show to Warsaw public- from simple every-day bread consumers , through planners, to local politicians that working on the vision requires a confrontation and openness towards different perspectives not necessarily belonging to the standard range of tools used in municipal planning. The perspective can be large, intentional, subversive, analytical or intuitive and it’s main value is the one of a daring, uncastrated thought that embraces the future instead of fearing it.
For this reason we will confront ideas on Warsaw’s future approached by fifteen entities from Asia, Americas, Europe and Australia. Some of them were prepared for different locations (Philadelphia, Seoul, Madrid) and represent examples of what was, according to it’s creators, a most appropriate answer to Warsaw problems. Another group is composed out of projects prepared especially for the Polish capital, but still basing on a vague idea of Warsaw. The third group will be composed out of two projects starting from a hipothesis and developed through analytical work. This way we will show both instinctive and analytical approach.


Starring [in order of appearance]: Warsaw, Husos, Markus Bader [raumlabor], Srdjan Jovanovich Weiss [N.A.O.], Jakub Szczęsny [Centrala]

The exhibition is composed out of two opposed projects:
1. No Hear No See
13 projects by different world architects elaborated or chosen from previous work on basis of ignorance and sensations on Warsaw actual situation instead of deep, multilayer analysis. The projects were published in “W (is for Warsaw)” book by Fundacja Bęc Zmiana.
2. Deep Submergence
Three projects by Centrala Designer’s Task Force Warsaw), S'A ARQUITECTOS + Esestudio (Lisbon/ Barcelona) and by RaumLabor (Berlin) collective starting with a hipothesis and leading towards clearly expressed conclusions, where the visual realism is less important than a direct and convincing representation of analytical outcome. Due to time limitations the projects will allow a “deep submergence” into only one chosen field of research as base for the vision development. The research fields can be: social, economical, ecological, geopolitical, historical, climatic or geographic.

Curator: Jakub Szczęsny (Centrala / www.centrala.net.pl)
Organizer: Fundacja Bęc Zmiana

Project supported by the City of Warsaw
Partner: Goethe-Institut Warschau

Projekt dofinansowany przez Miasto Stołeczne Warszawa

Partnerzy: Goethe-Institut Warschau, AMS