The main hall of the Duża Dąbrowa Granary is the first interior encountered by every visitor to the National Maritime Museum. The conceptual design transforms this space into a modern, multifunctional entrance zone that meets the standards expected of a contemporary cultural institution: clear and legible in its layout, accessible to people with diverse needs, and prepared to serve both individual visitors and organised groups. The adopted solutions refer, through their form and colour palette, to the maritime character of the Museum and to the museum ship Sołdek, moored at the quayside on the axis of the entrance from the Motława River side. This reference is not based on literal quotations of nautical motifs, but rather on the contemporary and disciplined use of materials and forms associated with shipbuilding: wood, metal and openwork grating structures. The colour scheme of the movable furnishings draws on the colours of the historic granary brickwork, maritime aesthetics and the Museum’s visual identity.

The aim of the project is to organise the functions of the hall, improve the legibility of its circulation layout, and visually brighten the space, which in its existing condition is relatively dark and divided by inconsistent built-in elements originating from various stages of earlier modernisation. The scope of the project is limited to finishing layers, custom furniture, lighting and the visual information system, without interfering with the structural or historic elements of the building. The functional programme of the hall has been conceived as a space capable of serving several user groups at the same time: individual visitors, organised groups, including school groups, people with special needs, and participants of accompanying events such as lectures, exhibition openings and educational meetings. The modular structure of the seating, together with the mobility of the display cases and information stands, allows the hall arrangement to be adapted to various temporary events and their accompanying functional scenarios.

The hall’s visual information system is based on the NMM Brand Guidelines: the primary colours are blue (Pantone Blue 072) and black, with light blue (Pantone 312) used as a complementary colour; the typography follows the typeface used in the Museum’s logotype, in Bold and Regular weights. All content is presented bilingually, with Polish as the primary language and English as the supplementary language. The graphic layer has been reduced to the necessary minimum: a single pictogram, a short label and, where required, a directional arrow. The system does not introduce an additional decorative layer; instead, it organises the space while remaining visually subordinate to the materials and architectural forms of the hall. The restrained form of the signage allows it to function in a purely practical way, without competing for attention with the elements of the interior arrangement.