98% of the 3 million Jews living in Poland before WWII were killed by the Nazis. A few of the survivors stayed alive by hiding in all kinds of places. Those hiding places became the subject of research by Dr. Natalie Romik, a noted Polish architect, curator, and Holocaust researcher. She discovered the stories of survivors living in oak trees or cemeteries. Some remained in these hiding placed for years trying to stay alive. Her work, “Hideouts. The Architecture of Survival” was on display this year at the Zacheta National Gallery of Art in Warsaw, Poland.
Through long-term, interdisciplinary research by a team of anthropologists, historians, archaeologists, and surveyors, Dr. Romik discovered survival architecture — “tree hollows, wardrobes, city sewers, caves or empty graves” used by survivors as temporary living spaces during the Holocaust.
ArchiTube Role
In an ArchiTube interview, Dr. Romik explained how ArchiTube Manager Przemyslaw Kluźniak and Survey Technician Karolina Latka captured these survivor spaces through 3D laser and optical scanning, drones, and photogrammetry. The team’s work provided detailed insight into survivor hideouts’ spatial layout, structure, and shape.
[ArchiTube]:
Why did you select us?
[Dr. Natalie Romik]:
I decided to work with ArchiTube because of your company’s innovation and skill in the spaces you are investigating. From the start of our research — a hiding place in a Warsaw Jewish cemetery — Przemysław and Karolina were collaborative, demonstrated great professionalism, and not only understood the subject but wanted to learn more about the researched areas.
[ArchiTube]:
Describe the exhibition. Why is it significant?
[Dr. Natalie Romik]:
As described on the Zachęta National Gallery of Art Zacheta National Gallery of Art,the exhibition was part of my post-doctoral research project in Germany and France serving as a tribute to the hiding places built and used by Jews during the Holocaust. It summarized the research process using an interdisciplinary approach including architectural, artistic, archival, and social science techniques. In addition to ArchiTube surveying, several dozen researchers from different fields prepared meticulous research, ranging from dendrology (the study of trees), archaeology, and Holocaust studies to ethnology (studying characteristics of and relationships among people).
Zachęta’s exhibition halls also featured silver casts of nine hiding places in Poland and present-day Ukraine. In addition to the exhibit artifacts, the research tables consisted of scans and measurement printouts made by ArchiTube. The exhibition’s center has a large, 22-minute looped projection illustrating hiding place measurements.
[ArchiTube]:
Which hideouts/temporary shelters were surveyed?
[Dr. Natalie Romik]:
All hideouts presented at the exhibition have survived and been studied in historical (archival) and spatial terms (a series of site-specific and interdisciplinary studies). Przemysław made seven out of nine measurements of hiding places. Locations are as follows:
- The Jewish cemetery on Okopowa Street in Warsaw, Poland
- A private house in Zhovkva, Ukraine
- The city sewage system in Lviv, Ukraine
- The Jozef oak tree in Wisniowa, Poland
- The Verteba cave in Ukraine
- The Ozerna cave in Ukraine
- A tenement house basement in Lviv, Ukraine
[Ricardo Duarte]:
What unique architectural and sustainability hideout features were discovered through surveying?
[Dr. Natalie Romik]:
The history of the hiding places and their spatial phenomena is presented for the first time in history — in both spatial and archival terms. The whole groundbreaking research process was supported by ArchiTube and the expert technical guidance of Przemysław and Karolina. [I took some liberty with this sentence to elevate ArchiTube role beyond just “participation” and highlight Karolina too]
ArchiTube’s surveying was captured in this video documentary by the Gerda Henkel Foundation.
Dr. Natalie Romik is currently authoring a book detailing the architectural dimensions of “Hideouts. The Architecture of Survival”, slated to be available in 2023.
Learn more about ArchiTube’s collaboration with Dr. Romik:
Additional International Exhibition Media Coverage:
https://www.arte.tv/pl/videos/100291-001-A/re-przetrwac-holokaust/
About ArchiTube:
Marking 10 years of delivering digital transformation, ArchiTube is Dawood’s 3D BIM, GIS, and surveying technology company. ArchiTube’s BIM illustrates a complete architectural, construction, engineering, maintenance, and operations view — combined with precise scanning, structural, inventory, and underground installation details — in addition to a diverse project portfolio ranging from media and entertainment to facilities management, heritage, logistics, manufacturing, and retail. BIM solutions are enhanced by Esri ArcGIS software integration, AutoDesk Revit Digital Twin, configurator tools, and web-based point cloud sharing products. Visit us at https://architube.pl/.
About Dawood:
Dawood Engineering transforms global infrastructure. Celebrating 30 years of excellence, Dawood is an AutoDesk and Esri partner employing certified geographic information systems (GIS) and land surveyor professionals who unite GIS with building information modeling (BIM) and leading-edge surveying — elevating asset and data management. The Dawood family of companies planned and designed sustainable environments throughout the US, features dedicated Government Finance Solutions, and extends GIS and BIM in Eurasia through ArchiTube, its 3D technology arm. Award-winning and forward-thinking, Dawood delivers robust design, digitalization, and predictive analytics to economic and land development, energy, environmental, municipal, planning, real estate, transportation, and utility clients. The company’s workforce development, mentor-protégé, and community programs advance STEM, diversity, and inclusion. Visit us at dawood.net.
Learn more:
https://www.dawood.net/
