“City in Motion – Warsaw’s Urban Sports Culture” is a story about how the capital’s landscape, architecture, and history influence the physical activity of its residents.
Nowadays, an increasing number of people are grappling with the effects of stress, loneliness, and a sedentary lifestyle. Consequently, physical activity is becoming a crucial resource for health and well-being. The exhibition demonstrates that physical activity is not merely a matter of individual motivation; it is also shaped by the urban environment, access to green spaces, sports infrastructure, as well as social relationships and local communities.
Warsaw possesses exceptional potential for physical activity. For over a century, the Vistula River, the Warsaw Escarpment, parks, forests, and the city’s hills have inspired residents to swim, row, cycle, run, and engage in many other activities. The exhibition traces the history of the capital’s culture of movement—from early gymnasiums and outdoor swimming pools to modern riverfront boulevards, school sports grounds, and grassroots sporting initiatives.
The exhibition combines archival photographs, maps, objects, architectural designs, and contemporary research. It showcases both major sports facilities and informal spaces for activity created by the residents themselves.
Despite the obvious benefits of physical activity, a significant number of Warsaw residents remain uninterested in it. Therefore, as part of this exhibition, we join experts from various fields to explore how to effectively encourage currently inactive people to find joy in life through different forms of physical activity. We also offer suggestions on how to design Warsaw to make physical activity accessible to more people, while considering how to balance recreational needs with the challenges of climate change and nature conservation.
“City in Motion” is a history of urban culture viewed through the lens of everyday physical activities, communities, the landscape, and public spaces. It is also an invitation to discuss how to create a Warsaw that encourages its residents to lead active lifestyles even more effectively.
Exhibition creators:
Organizers:
- Architecture and Spatial Planning Department of City of Warsaw and ZODIAK Warszaw Pavilion of Architecture, Fundacja Skwer Sportów Miejskich
Curators:
- Monika Wróbel, Grzegorz Gądek
Curatorial collaboration:
- Marta Kobecka
Experts:
- CENTRALA: Małgorzata Kuciewicz i Simone de Iacobis, Maciej Frąckowiak, Ewelina Jaskulska, Wojciech Kacperski, Aleksandra Litorowicz, Kamil Potrzuski, Małgorzata Sławińska
Exhibition Architecture:
- Aleksandra Gryc in cooperation with Bartłomiej Urbanowski and Inez Chmura
Exhibition production:
- FERWOR: Dawid Aniśko, Szymon Biadun, Inez Chmura, Aleksandra Gryc, Barbara Koch, Wojciech Musiałek, Paweł Paciorek, Piotr Paciorek, Rafał Paciorek, Marcin Papiernik, Bartłomiej Urbanowski
Visual Identity and Exhibition Graphic Design:
Research:
- Aleksandra Berłożecka, Julia Bujak, Jan Gajda, Szymon Karaś, Marta Kobecka, Darek Latocha, Ewa Maniak, Olena Pinchuk, Aleksander Tylman, Marianna Waśniewska
Consultation:
- Agata Nowotny
Language Editing:
- Beata Poprawa
Translations:
- Jan Gajda
Licenses:
- Aleksandra Berłożecka
Models and Dioramen Production:
Models Restoration:
- Aleksander Tylman, Cezary Kępka
GIS Mapping:
- Szymon Karaś
Public Programme:
- Natalia Cichoń, Edyta Kaszuba, Marta Kobecka, Wojciech Kacperski
Educational Programme:
- Wiola Januszko, Natalia Cichoń
Communications:
- Natalia Cichoń, Wiola Januszko, Artur Wosz, Edyta Kaszuba, Julia Sempołowicz
Organizational cooperation:
- ZODIAK Warszaw Pavililon of Architecture – Monika Komorowska, Natalia Cichoń, Wiola Januszko, Artur Wosz, Edyta Kaszuba, Julia Sempołowicz
Rental:
- Akademia Wychowania Fizycznego Józefa Piłsudskiego w Warszawie, Fundacja Bęc Zmiana, Fundacja Skwer Sportów Miejskich, Muzeum Sportu i Turystyki w Warszawie, Park Kultury w Powsinie, Private collections: Maciej Belina – Brzozowski, Kwiaciarnia Grafiki / galeria TOR, Wojciech Kacperski, Małgorzata Mirecka, Paweł Stróżewski, Jolanta Saratowicz, Monika Wróbel
Archival Materials:
- Archiwum Centralne AWF, Archiwum Państwowe w Warszawie, Biblioteka Cyfrowa Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego, Biblioteka Narodowa, Biblioteka Publiczna m.st. Warszawy – Biblioteka Główna Województwa Mazowieckiego, Fundacja „Maraton Warszawski”, Instytut Sztuki PAN, Jagiellońska Biblioteka Cyfrowa, Miesięcznik “Stolica”, Muzeum Narodowe w Warszawie, Narodowe Archiwum Cyfrowe, Narodowy Instytut Architektury i Urbanistyki based in Warsaw
Acknowledgements:
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We extend special thanks to all the sports groups, clubs, associations, informal initiatives, and communities of enthusiasts who shared photographs documenting their activities for this exhibition. Thanks to your openness, we were able to showcase urban sports as a vibrant, diverse, and ever-evolving part of Warsaw’s culture. This exhibition could not have come to fruition without your photos, stories, and commitment. We also express our gratitude to the artists and architects who agreed to share their work; their contributions have enriched the narrative regarding the relationships between sport, art, and the urban landscape.
We also extend our thanks to Anna Olborska from the AWF Central Archive, Bartłomiej Stępień from Aktywna Warszawa, Michał Buława from the Powsin Culture Park, and Magdalena Sierzputowska from the Warsaw Greenery Authority for their support in making materials available, as well as to the school administrations in Warsaw that enabled us to conduct research on school sports fields.
Partners:
Media Partners:
We wish to inform you that we have made every effort to locate all holders of the economic copyright to the works presented in the exhibition.
Information on exhibition accessibility:
The exhibition runs from August 6 to November 22. The pavilion is open Tuesday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and Saturday through Sunday from 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. We invite all residents. Admission is free.
- Films and multimedia: All multimedia content features Polish subtitles.
Architectural accessibility:
The exhibition is located on the ground floor, on level -1 of the pavilion, and in the outdoor plaza. You can enter the ground floor directly from the sidewalk; the entrance doors open automatically outwards. The building is fully accessible to wheelchair users and those with strollers. An elevator provides access to all levels of the building. Restrooms are available on the ground floor and level -1. The ground floor also features a restroom equipped with a baby changing station that is accessible to people with limited mobility.
How do I get to the exhibition?
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Location: You can find our pavilion in the very city center at Pasaż Stefana Wiecheckiego “Wiecha” 4 in Warsaw. The entrance is located directly off the square in front of the building.
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Public transport: Bus and tram stops, as well as a metro station, are located just 250 meters from the building. All these stops are named “Centrum”.
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Bicycle: You can easily reach the pavilion via the bicycle paths leading to Widok Street. We have provided 24 bicycle parking spaces right next to the building entrance.
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Car: We do not have our own parking lot, and direct access to the entrance is not possible, so please look for available parking spaces on Widok Street. Additionally, there are two parking spaces for people with disabilities on Chmielna Street, in the immediate vicinity of the pavilion.
Evacuation:
The building is equipped with clear directional signage and audible signals to assist you during an evacuation. There are four emergency exits on the ground floor, allowing for a quick exit from the facility. Once outside, head to the Stefan Wiechecki “Wiech” Passage, as this is the designated assembly point for evacuees.
Contact:
If you have questions regarding event accessibility, you can contact us by email or phone.
- [zodiak@um.warszawa.pl]
- [510 205 984]