Architecture

Golden Age

Poland's architecture has experienced many transformations, crowned by winning Europe’s most important architectural prize in 2015: the Mies van der Rohe Award for the new concert hall of the Szczecin Philharmonic (PreVIoUS PaGe). The mass of this stunning building has been compared to a glowing iceberg. The design for the philharmonic, resembling abstract sculpture while fitting harmoniously into the city's fabric was developed by Fabrizio Barozzi and Alberto Veiga at their studio in Barcelona.

It’s not the only surprising building to go up in Poland recently. The exhibition spaces at the Silesian Museum in Katowice were hidden underground by the Austrian architects at Riegler Riewe – a manoeuvre that allowed them to maintain mining landmarks on the surface of the site.

The elegant concert hall of the Polish National Symphony Orchestra in Katowice (designed by Konior Studio) is a contemporary paraphrase of the early 20th century architecture of the mining settlement at Nikiszowiec, while the National Forum of Music in Wrocław (designed by Kuryłowicz & Associates) is inspired by the soundbox of a violin. Cracow’s new Cricoteka Museum of Tadeusz Kantor (designed by Wizja + nsMoonStudio) is a bridge-shaped building faced in rust-covered Corten steel, rising above the structures of a former power plant. In Warsaw, Polin, the Museum of the History of Polish Jews, resembles a glass jewel case enclosing not only an exceptional exhibition space but also a spectacular and expressive hall with rippling concrete walls (designed by Lahdelma & Mahlamäki). Although designs for major public cultural and sports institutions have captured much attention, ‘ordinary’ residential and office projects have been just as thoughtfully designed. The interests of Polish architects extend even further. Many of them combine their architectural practice with social initiatives, seeking alternatives for traditional building materials and smashing stereotypes about how design can be practised – all to the benefit of spaces in Polish cities and the residents who use them •

Porta Posnania IChOT (bELOW) is connected to Cathedral Island by a footbridge over the Cybina River. Designed by architects Ad Artis Emerla, Jagiełłowicz, Wojda •

3 — Concepts for the Future

Cohabitat

How to design a civilization for the next 1,000+ years? It requires tools for effective regeneration of human health as well as renewal of the environment. The Cohabitat Foundation rises to this challenge by building a model of the autonomous town of the future. It experiments with constructions from blocks of straw and clay, production of energy from biomass, and local fabrication in the spirit ‘let’s do this together’. Thousands of people participate in online seminars and workshops and read books published by Cohabitat •

1 — Courage

WWAA (AbOVE)

‘What we are constantly trying to uphold in our design team is openness to new conceptions and an eagerness to take on challenges', say Natalia Paszkowska and Marcin Mostafa, founders of the young but highly experienced studio WWAA. ‘We’re not afraid to experiment, whether it’s with scale, function, aesthetics, or technical solutions. Whether it’s designing residential buildings, sets for museum exhibitions, temporary pavilions or public buildings, we think it’s all equally interesting and valuable. At a time when our profession is becoming increasingly diversified, fracturing off into deeper and deeper specializations, we would still like to maintain the right balance, and take part in as many different aspects of architectural design as possible’ •

2— Community

H2 Architekci & Odblokuj (‘Unblock’) Association

They operate at the boundaries of architecture and social activism. As active designers – the h2 Architekci studio – they create concepts for public buildings, libraries and community centres, and as the Odblokuj (‘Unblock’) Association they carry out projects devoted to urban spaces that are ordinarily devalued, forgotten and neglected, like big residential estates. With temporary initiatives, a sense of identity can be restored to these locations, recalling their history and showcasing their unique character. The association pursues all of its ventures in cooperation with the residents, because community-building and integration of the local society are key goals of its efforts •

4 — Originality

KWK Promes & Robert Konieczny (AbOVE: Konieczny’s Ark – the architect’s own house)

‘What interests me above all in architecture is the false bottom’, says Robert Konieczny, one of Poland’s most celebrated architects, whose single-family homes have gained notoriety and praise in the international arena. ‘I value an idea or concept, spatial or formal, that may not be apparent at first glance, but conveys the realization of something exceptional. Contemporary architecture is dominated by loud designs that attract attention but lack unique character. I think that in architecture walls aren’t as important as the space between them. Fashions fade, materials age, but a well-designed space will always endure and maintain its value. I hope that we have managed to achieve that ‘something’ in some projects, such as the Aatrialny, OUTrialny and Bezpieczny houses. It’s not always possible to achieve, but that’s the kind of architecture I prize the highest’ •