This exhibition explores how cities, specifically Warsaw, are adapting to the intensifying climate crisis and rising temperatures. It examines changes in architectural practices, urban planning, and daily life in response to heat waves and global warming.
The 15th edition of the 'WARSZAWA W BUDOWIE' festival, titled 'Zimno już było' (It Was Cold Already), delves into the growing awareness of temperature issues in Warsaw and the city's relationship with the sun. The exhibition highlights diverse methods of adapting Warsaw, other cities, and their communities to changing conditions and preventing the escalation of the climate and thermal crisis. It presents historical and contemporary approaches to managing high temperatures, drawing from scientific research, historical documents, and artistic projects by Polish and international creators.
The exhibition features newly commissioned works by artists such as Katarzyna Krakowiak-Bałka, Karolina Breguła, Emanuel Levy, and Kobas Laksa, alongside pieces by Wojciech Fangor and Ryszard Winiarski, and Joanna Rajkowska's famous 'Dotleniacz.' The curatorial approach combines artistic interpretations with scientific data and historical context to offer a multifaceted perspective on urban heat island effects, the impact of climate change on urban life, and potential solutions for building more resilient cities. The exhibition design itself aims to immerse visitors in an environment reflecting a city struggling with heat.