Surrealistic Historical Park in Rabka

Abstract

Rabka Zdroj (Spa) is a popular Polish resort. The Silesian Rehabilitation and Spa Centre built here in 1949 was designed by Stanislaw Gruszka in the International Style, which was innovative at that time. The park surrounding the spa building has interesting tree specimens laid out according to a simple geometrical principle with free fillers. In the west part, the path arrangement is geometrical with three symmetrical gardens on rectangular terraces. Whereas in the south part, its form of abstract winding paths is quite unique, resembling a totem placed horizontally. The research conducted shows that the shapes applied here and the deformed symmetry may refer to the works of Miró or Hans Arp. The project's author was related to the community of Warsaw artists fascinated with futurism and surrealism in the 20 years of Poland's independence after World War I. In the late 1940s the destructive influence of the communist ideology did not yet manage to leave its mark on the architecture of the structure discussed, and thus the place was given its unique beauty. Nowadays the park is being revitalized following the project designed by the author of the article and his team and its implementation has gained financial support from the EU. The leitmotif for the revitalization is to emphasize its surrealistic forms. In the surrealistic garden, there will be created a multi-layered narrative structure with an emphasized outline of plant field paths and surrealistic benches and deckchairs especially designed. Educational paths are designed to discuss various topics, like the history of modernist spa buildings in Malopolska (Little Poland – a province in the south of Poland, whose capital is Cracow), the history of Polish poster design in the 20 years of Poland's independence between WWI and WWII, as well as the park's natural aspects. Another abstract idea will also be found in the Rabka Code, a game enabling to develop tasks of one's own choice to be solved in the field. The present article discusses the research carried out on the history of the structure and its formal relations as well as the design decisions already taken. It should be stressed that a surrealistic path layout is a very rare solution in the history of park architecture. Even if parks may have surrealistic sculptures, the surrounding area usually retains its modernist, simple geometrical form. In the future surrealistic sculptures may also appear in the park in Rabka Zdroj. Nowadays, however, it is more important to maintain its unique aesthetic values both in the park plan and in the detail of decorative structures.