Second Materiality of Warsaw: Ruins, Rubble, and the Postwar Socialist Reconstruction

• In Event: Elements for the Future: Materials and Practices of Post-WWII Reconstructions

Abstract

This paper offers a novel account of the postwar socialist reconstruction of Warsaw, told through the history of the transformation of ruins into the materiality of the postwar city. The narrative centers on the relationship between the rubble of war and labor of workers, architects, engineers, and politicians, uncovering overlooked histories of actors and institutions driving postwar reconstruction at the local, national and transnational levels. In conclusion, the paper argues for a broader discussion on the practice of building from rubble in the history of socialist architecture and cities.

Author

• Adam Przywara, U of Fribourg (Switzerland)