National Digital Archives

The National Digital Archives will be moved from the current facility at 1 Hankiewicza Street and located in the redeveloped part of the historic building at 2d Rakowiecka Street in Warsaw, right next to the State Archives Head Office.

The real property located at 2D Rakowiecka Street is part of the building complex of the former Mokotow Barracks and has been entered in the register of monuments due to their preserved artistic, historical and scientific values.

On 8 April 2022, the National Digital Archives received the facility for permanent management for an indefinite period from the Capital City of Warsaw. Thanks to the planned investment, the entire building, including the part housing the State Archives Head Office, will be given a refreshed look.

Greater possibilities for digitisation and giving access

As a result of the redevelopment of the building at 2d Rakowiecka Street, the National Digital Archives will gain space for tasks in the areas of digitisation, communication and accessibility, as well as office space. The planned net usable area of the redeveloped building will be 2,630 m².

The new server room will meet the highest IT security standards. In addition, the possibility of its further expansion will be provided. Organised digitisation labs will serve the National Digital Archives and, in special cases, other state archives.

The new space suitable for popularisation and educational activities will make it possible to increase the number of such events and improve their quality. The working conditions for both staff and visitors to the National Digital Archives user space will also be significantly improved. The building will also be adapted to people with special needs.

State of works

In 2023, an architectural competition for the preparation of an architectural concept for the redevelopment of the building was held in cooperation with the Association of Architects of Poland. The winner of the first prize in the competition was the work of CH+ Architekci Wojciech Chrzanowski. The winner was invited to negotiate in a single source procurement mode.

Adapting the building to the needs of the National Digital Archives will require compliance with current building and fire safety legislation. The scope of the necessary works was initially defined in the architectural concept for the adaptation of the building, on the basis of an analysis of the available documentation, the architectural and conservation inventory carried out and the guidelines obtained from the conservator.

The planned timeframe for the investment is 2024–2026.

The estimated cost of redeveloping and modernising the building is PLN 57,647,000.