Capitol Music Theatre, Wrocław

Wrocław’s pre-war movie theatre was designed by Berlin-based architect Friedrich Lipp and completed in 1929.

Project data

Completion date: 1929

Architects: Friedrich Lipp, Berlin

Building floor area: 18,000 m²

Conversion and modernisation: 2011 to 2013

Conversion project architects: KKM Kozień Architekci, Kraków, Poland

Awards: Piękny Wrocław Competition, 1st prize

SCHELL products: PURIS SC-M self-closing wash basin tap

This building complex in the Expressionist style consisted of a theatre with 1,200 seats, a hotel and an office wing. Its architecture made the contemporary Capitol into one of the most attractive cinema and theatre buildings in all of Europe. The building facade featured glazed tiles and softly shimmering walls, and the interior decor was extremely modern. The building suffered severe structural damage in the Second World War. After various renovations, also required due to flood damage, for example, the building was extensively converted and expanded during the period 2011 to 2013. The Music Theatre’s floor space was quadrupled in size and the very latest stage systems were installed. The original interior was also restored with astonishing attention to detail.

The fit-out planners chose the PURIS SC self-closing wash basin tap from SCHELL for the sanitary facilities in the Music Theatre. All in all, 48 of the elegant, mixed-water taps were installed. With a swift turn of the tap handle, guests can quickly and precisely regulate the temperature to be gentle on the skin. To start the flow of water, soft pressure on the tap head is sufficient – the water flow is then timed to last between 2 and 15 seconds, depending on the individual setting. In technical terms, this is achieved by an innovative plastic cartridge.

The all-metal tap meets the high standards set by facility managers – especially in sanitary facilities with heavy use, such as are found in cultural spaces. The service life is long, operation is permanent and reliable, and maintenance effort is low. When used in these kinds of facilities, one of the tap’s key economic benefits is the huge saving on water consumption achieved by the reliable self-closing valve technology.

Users and building owners alike benefit from the enduring cleanliness of the washroom, since the high-quality chromed finish is especially resistant to dirt and limescale. The resolutely linear design of the PURIS SC also helps to make it easier to clean.