Arsenał Municipal Gallery was designed at the Miastoprojekt Urban Construction Design Company in Poznań, in the studio of Zygmunt Lutomski AE, after the design of Jan Cieśliński and Zbigniew Zieliński. Commissioned in 1962, the building was used as the home of the BWA Art Exhibition Office. The modernist pavilion has become a permanent feature of the Old Market Square landscape, engaging in an interesting architectural dialogue with the surrounding Renaissance townhouses. The contemporary art gallery in the heart of the city’s agora has become a major arts centre of Poznań and Poland.

After 60 years, the deteriorating building underwent a thorough refurbishment, which both respected its modernist legacy and adapted it to serve as a modern cultural institution. The modernisation work began with the strengthening of the foundations and ended with the roof, where photovoltaic panels were installed. Additional features include extra exhibition space in the gallery on level -1, a lift, a café, a toilet for people with disabilities, and a multimedia wall visible from the Giovanni Battista Quadro walkway. The dynamic redevelopment process was followed throughout by a Poznań photographer Jerzy Sadowski. Thanks to his attentive presence, we can now enjoy an overview of the fascinating transformation process of the building’s interior. This is a story about living and changing architecture and about spaces which, marked by the presence of generations of artists, are now ready to welcome new visitors to share new developments in art.