Regional Museum in Leszno

The building of the former Leszczyńska Vinegar Factory is located in the depths of the plot located at the junction of Jana Pawła II Avenue and Bolesława Chrobrego Street. The form of extension and the way of shaping the space between the existing and the new building are an attempt to convey with the help of the language of contemporary architecture the context, climate and special character of the place. The object that most influences the form, expression and detail of the future museum is undoubtedly the building of the Old Octownia. Established at the beginning of the 20th century on the initiative of Paul Wandel, the factory is firmly rooted in the consciousness of the inhabitants of Leszno and, due to its location on the front of the plot, already under a new sign, will be known as the seat of the Regional Museum. The contemporary extension in the depth of the plot provides, through its ascetic form, the background for the historic building. At the same time, the proposed layout of the solids is a reference to the broader urban context. The division into smaller parts reduces the large scale resulting from functional needs. Thus, it appeals to the more vertical proportions of the nearby bourgeois tenements. The irregular and organic spatial composition is a continuation of the surrounding character of compact, downtown buildings. The narrow isthmus between the blocks communicate with each other the individual blocks of the exhibition part, and through their form they refer to the narrow streets of the old town. The proposed arrangement of the solids in the interior creates a sequence of spaces divided thematically and arranged in order of individual exhibition blocks, forming the narrative of the permanent exhibition of the Regional Museum in Leszno. Glass connectors and bridges provide the visitor with a buffer between the different sections of the exhibition, and by opening onto the city, they allow to confront the history presented in the exhibition with the contemporary visible outside. The way of shaping the entrance space through its form is also a story about the history of the place and the continuation of the existing character of the space. The semicircular wall of the entrance square is a contemporary reference to the rounded corner of the building of the former opera house. At the same time, thanks to its form, it guides guests to the main entrance. Located in the center of the square, the tree further emphasizes this important place, giving it a friendly microclimate. The entrance hall — the space between the existing and the new building — takes the form of an irregular city square, opening to the main functions of the building. The most important opening is the representative staircase leading to the halls of the permanent exhibition. The land development on the plot was designed as a spatial structure strongly embedded in the urban fabric that has been layered over the centuries. Unambiguous definitions of a building, site, masonry and fence blur and permeate. A particularly important element of the development is the garden located at level +1. The greenery of the garden integrates the interior of the quarter into the public space of the city, building an open, friendly and inviting image of the institution. At the same time, it creates a pretext for people seeking a moment of respite from the hustle and bustle of the city in the greenery growing between the walls of the museum.

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