Cepelia Pavilion

The Cepelia Pavilion (Polish: [t͡sɛˈpɛ.lia]; Polish: Pawilon Cepelii) is a modernist store pavilion in Warsaw, Poland, within the South Downtown neighbourhood. It is located at the corner of 99/101 Marszałkowska and 28/34 Nowogrodzka Streets, next to Dmowski Roundabout. It was opened in 1966, as a store of Cepelia, an association of needlework artists. Following renovations in 2024, it currently operates as a store of Empik, a chain selling books, international press and media products. History The pavilion was designed by Zygmunt Stępiński, in cooperation with Andrzej Milewski and Aleksander Haweman. It was constructed in 1966, next to the Metropol Hotel, opened a year prior, as part of the development of shopping and residential buildings alongside Marszałkowska Street. Its façade, aside from windows, was originally covered in turquoise ceramic tiles, each decorated with unique geometrical patterns, designed by Stanisław Kucharski. The pavilion became a store of Cepelia, an association of needlework artists. In the 1990s, the pavilion fell into decline. On its sides and roof large advertisement billboards and digital displays were installed, and its basement was used by the Ferment night club. In 2017, the building was placed onto the municipal heritage list of the city of Warsaw, and in 2019, on the national list. It was eventually sold by Cepelia to a private buyer. Originally, it was planned for the building to become a McDonald’s restaurant, following modernisation. In 2019, the regional conservator-restorer rejected the project, arguing with it being too large of an interference with the heritage of the building. The developer made an appeal to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, which repealed said decision, and ordered for the matter to be reevaluated. McDonald's eventually backed out from opening its restaurant, and in 2022, the Office for Protection of Heritage gave an evaluation, allowing for development, remodelling and renovation on the building, allowing for a department store to take its place. In 2023, due to danger of further damage of the deteriorated building, the conservator-restorer gave a decision, with orders for imminent execution, to begin renovations of the pavilion, and for the removal of the advertisement billboards. The restoration project was designed by Andrzej M. Chołdzyński. The renovations begun in February 2024. The restorations included installing metal panels on the façade, ceramic tiles on the ground floor, and billboards next to the pavilion. On the first floor a fragment of the original façade is exposed, made from waved aluminium sheet metal, along with neon of a rooster, the logo of now defunct Cepelia. Next to the building a flagpole was placed, which was envisioned in the original plans for the building, but never installed. The pavilion was reopened in December 2024, as a store of Empik, a chain selling books, international press and media products. Architecture The two-storey pavilion with streel and aluminium construction with facade covered in large windows and white waved metal sheets. From the side of Nowogrodzka Street, is installed a neon of a rooster, a logo of the building's original owener, Cepelia. The pavilion has a one additional underground floor. Next to the building stands a flag pole. References