“We managed to combine tradition with modernity. One of the most beautiful lecture rooms at Wrocław University of Technology has been restored to its original glory.” – said Prof. Piotr Drożdżewski, Deputy Dean for Teaching of the Faculty of Chemistry. On Wednesday, the room was visited by the university authorities.
The room was constructed in 1910 in the building of the current Faculty of Chemistry (A-3). It survived World War II practically intact. “German scientists left here chemicals and laboratory glassware. For 20 years from the end of World War II they were still used for conducting experiments.” – recalls Prof. Piotr Drożdżewski and adds that in 1945 the room had no glass in the windows. “It was a significant problem but we got help from the employees of the glassworks in Wałbrzych, who just in one day produced the glass necessary to glaze all the windows in the room. Therefore, to honour them, it was named ‘The Room of Labourers of the Glassworks in Wałbrzych’ and colloquially, it is called simply ‘The Wałbrzych Room’.”
Since 1945, generations of Polish students have attended lectures, observed experiments, and written tests here. Such a long period of constant operation caused that a renovation was necessary. The renovation took 1,5 year and cost nearly 1 million PLN. “We repaired the wooden roof, dismounted the kiosk-like mezzanine and made a new one, patterning the pre-war structure. We also managed to renovate the desktops and seats for the students, reconstruct the sidings, and radiator covers. We replaced the windows and the fabric of the window blinds. We also restored the original arrangement of the tables and original shape of the fume cupboard, i.e. the place where experiments are carried out.” – explained Robert Dylewicz, site manager from the company SAD A.K.S Stanisław Sadowski that performed the renovation. He emphasized that all the work was supervised by the City Conservator of Monuments.
“This place has a unique ambience and character. This is what all lecture rooms at Wrocław University of Technology should look like.” – said Rector, Prof. Tadeusz Więckowski.
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