The battle between modernism and historicism in architectural discourse continues. Balanced opinions, close to those of American architect and neoclassicism advocate Allan Greenberg: "By recognizing that [...] both classical and modernist architecture have produced masterpieces and that both have strengths and weaknesses, we will be able to better understand both. Only then will we see that classicism is modern in essence and that modernist architecture, in its noble elements, is in fact classical." These views do not seem to be very popular on internet forums or in specialist discussions commenting on new investments.

After the screening of the film Where to With History?, we will try to follow Greenberg and meet in the middle to appreciate the palimpsestic nature of our cities. This will be facilitated by journalist Bogna Świątkowska, who will discuss the value of accepting different styles in architecture and the landscape around us with Joanna Majczyk, an architect and researcher of architecture and urban planning, especially socialist realism, and Aleksandra Paradowska, an art historian and researcher of the links between architecture and politics.

Referring to the situations presented in the film, we will also consider the extent to which architecture can shape political attitudes or, on the contrary, how it can be appropriated by certain worldviews or movements. What ways do we have of constructing narratives about the identity of cities by investing in the renovation or reconstruction of architecture in a particular style that is important to a given nationality? What does the growing aversion to neo-modernism among representatives of conservative thought in Poland, their sympathy for all reconstruction initiatives, and their calls for the creation of new architecture in historicist styles testify to?

Supported by the Foundation for Polish-German Cooperation.