Museum of the Polish Army, Warsaw, Poland
The design envisages a courtyard of honour opening to the west, bordered to the east by the planned National Museum and to the north and south by the two wings of the Army Museum.
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ProjectMuseum of the Polish Army
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LocationWarsaw, Poland
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ApplicationPublic Facilities
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ArchitectWXCA
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Construction CompanyPERI & Grupa B37
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PhotosMarcin Czechowicz
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CategoryCustom Formliners
Between History and Landscape
Floor space
The new Army Museum in Warsaw, designed by the architectural firm WXCA, is part of a museum complex on the grounds of the historic citadel.
The new Army Museum in Warsaw, designed by the architectural office WXCA, is part of a museum ensemble on the grounds of the historic Citadel. The robust, rectangular building references the history of the site and offers 12,000 m² of usable space for a permanent exhibition on the history of the Polish armed forces, temporary exhibitions, as well as a hall for cultural events. Glass façades between a total of eight functional blocks create a connection to the green areas of the surrounding park.
The Facade
The façade is impressive with its height of 7.5 metres. Reddish-coloured exposed concrete was used, reminiscent of the brick walls of the Warsaw Citadel. To break up the monumentality of the blocks, the design was given a specially developed chevron pattern inspired by Polish army uniforms.
The structural moulds required for the façade were custom-made using RECKLI UNIQUE at the factory in Herne. Structural moulds are elastic forms that are glued into the formwork before concreting to give the concrete its texture. The result: a unique façade structure that creates interesting light and shadow effects over an area of more than 1,000 m² and makes a visit to the citadel an aesthetic experience in every season.
In-Situ Concrete Construction with Sustainability
Total area
The façade elements of the Polish Army Museum in Warsaw were executed as in-situ concrete, reaching impressive dimensions of up to 35 m in length and 7.35 m in height. The large-format pours required precise coordination of formwork and concrete production.
PERI supplied the formwork solution, while Grupa B37 was responsible for concrete fabrication and execution. The recently completed southern building of the two-part museum complex provides 12,000 m² of usable space for permanent and temporary exhibitions as well as cultural events. Glazed façades between the eight functional blocks visually connect the robust concrete volume with the surrounding parkland.
Durable formliners can be reused multiple times and ensure long-lasting exposed concrete quality, reducing refurbishment cycles and lowering material consumption over the long term.
The building itself follows a holistic approach. Its concrete mass acts as a thermal store and is supported by an energy system with 91 geothermal probes, each 150 metres deep, connected to a central heat pump system for heating and cooling.
