Palmiarnia

Palmiarnia is two interconnected zones. One is an infopoint of the BWA Wrocław Główny gallery with a book and poster shop. The other is a place to relax among the greenery.

Palmiarnia refers to the concept of orangeries characteristic of palace architecture. The 19th-century station building, designed in the Tudor neo-Gothic style, is associated with just such a concept. In addition, the use of elements such as glass and steel in the main hall of the station, which were very modern for the time, brings to mind the palace-like palm houses and walking halls known from the Lower Silesian spas. These places served the purpose of relaxation and seeking solace.

The building of the main railway station lacked a friendly space for the recipients of the BWA Wrocław Główny gallery, as well as for people travelling, waiting for a train or visiting Wrocław. Therefore, the idea came up to create such a place, where it would be possible to sit comfortably, drink coffee and tea or buy carefully selected publications and posters of BWA Wrocław. The interior design was created by the Menthol Architects (Liliana Krzycka, Rafał Pieszko, Szymon Tobias), and the colour scheme they proposed refers to the design of the railway station building. The green elements allude to the colourful glazing of the main hall, while the indigo colour was taken from the walls of the session room adjacent to the gallery.

Palmiarnia is two interconnected zones. One is an infopoint of the gallery with a book and poster shop, and the other is a place for meetings, lectures and presentations, as well as rest and relaxation among the greenery. The zones are linked by recurring flowerbeds and greenery associated with relaxation spaces. 

Plamiarnia acts as a ‘third place’ (The Third Place), i.e. a public, neutral space that can be visited independently of ongoing exhibitions.

“The third place” is a place of rest – not only from work, but also from the daily routines we perform. It is a neutral space where we spend our free time, meet friends, relax after professional work, housework, take a breather over a cup of coffee (tea), observe and show off to others. “Third places” reinforce in us a sense of belonging to our surroundings and a bond with others – known or potentially close to us. They are places where the life of the local community is vibrant, where new ideas are born, where values that are important in a given environment are perpetuated or evolve.

Agnieszka Koszowska “The Third Place” by Ray Oldenburg 

Palmiarnia operates on the days and opening hours of the BWA Wrocław Główny gallery: Wednesday-Thursday: 12:00-20:00, Friday-Sunday: 12:00-18:00.