Trading house and dwelling house of the joint-stock company “Bazar Polski”: interesting examples of reinforced concrete modernism in Kraków

Tadeusz Stryjeński (1849–1943) was undoubtedly one of the most interesting architects and was the first to use reinforced concrete in dwelling houses as well as in public utility buildings construction in Kraków. In 1919 he co-founded “Spójnia budowlana Stryjeński – Mączyński – Korn” [eng. “Building Union Stryjeński – Mączyński – Korn”]. In 1920–1922 at the intersection of 1 Wielopole and 2 Starowiślna Street “Spójnia” created a trading house for the joint-stock company “Bazar Polski” which later served as “Pałac Prasy” [eng. “Press Palace”], sometimes called “Krążownik Wielopole” [eng. “Wielopole Cruiser”]. In 1923 the company also constructed an adjacent dwelling house at 3 Wielopole Street. Both buildings stand out with impressive and utilitarian reinforced concrete construction although it was not followed by historicizing forms of elevations – close to manor house style – especially in monumental Bazar Polski. This paper concerns the history of the construction of both buildings as well as analyses all architectural issues (floor plans, architectural disposition and decoration).