Effective April 1, 2026, Sinfonia Varsovia will become an institution jointly managed by the Capital City of Warsaw and the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage. Additional funding from the Ministry will enable the award of a tender for the main contractor of the second phase of the investment on Grochowska Street, thereby marking the start of construction on Poland’s largest concert hall.
“We’ve made the decision to build a grand concert hall – the largest in Poland. I’m very happy about this. […] The government – both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Culture – has decided to support the work at 272 Grochowska Street. So, we’re building!” – said Rafał Trzaskowski, Mayor of Warsaw, at Sinfonia Varsovia’s birthday concert on March 15. “This co-management is also proof that Sinfonia Varsovia is an extraordinary, unique orchestra – one that successfully leads model revitalization projects in Warsaw’s Praga district, involving people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds […]. And at the same time, it achieves tremendous success on the world’s greatest stages,” adds Aldona Machnowska-Góra, Deputy Mayor of the City of Warsaw. “I’ve been working here for 39 years, and every day I tell myself how lucky I am. […] Now, finally, Sinfonia Varsovia, this wonderful orchestra, will have its own home, where we will be able to welcome our audience,” adds Janusz Marynowski, Director of Sinfonia Varsovia.
The second phase of the project involves the construction of Sinfonia Varsovia’s main concert hall with a capacity of 1,877 seats, designed in collaboration with acousticians from Müller-BBM in Berlin and Eckhard Kahle Acoustics in Brussels. The hall’s acoustic design combines shoebox and vineyard layouts, with the audience seated around the stage. The concert hall will be fully visible from the spacious surrounding foyer, open to all visitors thanks to its tall glass walls. The second phase of the project also includes the construction of a chamber hall with approximately 400 seats, rehearsal spaces, storage areas, and artistic and technical facilities; the work also involves the renovation of two northern outbuildings, which will be connected to the new building housing the main concert hall, as well as the construction of a promenade with an observation deck.
Meanwhile, work on the first phase of the project – which involves the renovation of three historic buildings on Grochowska Street – will be completed in the upcoming months. This fall, chamber concert halls and educational spaces will be opened in the Palace, the West Pavilion, and the Music Pavilion. In the following seasons, until the main hall opens, Sinfonia Varsovia’s activities at its Praga-Południe headquarters will focus on chamber music and educational programs.
photo by Danuta Matloch/MKiDN
