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Tenement house of David Szmulewicz
The tenement at 37 Piotrkowska Street is not only a witness to history, but also an example of exceptional Art Nouveau architecture that has survived to this day. The rich façade, functional layout and attention to detail make it an unusual place, worth visiting and living in. Every element of the building, from the bay window to the entrance gate decorations, tells a story about old Łódź, while maintaining its functionality in a modern urban context.
Early development
The tenement house at 37 Piotrkowska Street has a rich history, dating back to the late 19th century. In 1887, the property was owned by Icek Lejb Kon, with a one-story front building and a one-story annex adjacent to it. A three-story outbuilding enclosed the property on the south side. This modest development provided the basis for future, more impressive structures.
New Owner
In 1894 Dawid Szmulewicz became the owner of the plot, who had ambitious plans for the property. In 1903 he commissioned Łódź architect Gustav Landau-Gutenteger to design a new townhouse. The design featured an elevation in the then-popular Art Nouveau style and modern outbuildings. As early as 1904, the project was realized, creating a prestigious new development at 37 Piotrkowska Street.
Impressive front building
The most important element of the new development was a six-story front tenement house, built on a rectangular plan. The first floor of the building was commercial, which was typical for this type of property in the city center, while the upper floors were used for apartments. In addition to the front building, the property was developed with two sizable outbuildings (four- and five-story) set diagonally to the main building, and one five-story transverse outbuilding enclosing the courtyard on the west side.
Art Nouveau style
The front elevation of the building at 37 Piotrkowska Street is exceptionally richly decorated, which deserves special attention (be sure to look at the “Elevation” tab). It is distinguished by a three-story high bay window, which is the central axis of the building. The bay window is supported by volute brackets over the first floor and is topped by a balcony covered by a canopy, topped by a slender cupola with a helmet. The lintels of the facade’s windows are decorated with Art Nouveau ornaments such as leaves, ribbons, lion heads and female masks (mascarons). Rectangular windows on the second and third floors contrast with arched windows on the first and fourth floors and in the upper part of the bay window. Gustaw Landau-Gutenteger also designed the woodwork of the doors and windows, the gate along with the grilles with delicate Art Nouveau drawing. The decorations of the entrance gate, the staircase balustrade and the stucco decoration of the interiors and staircases have survived to this day, emphasizing both the vertical and horizontal division of the facade, dominated by geometric decorations.
