LAUREATES 2022

Winners in the HOTEL category:

Architect Mariola Tomczak and Investor Hotel H15 Luxury Palace in Krakow
Construction of the H15 Luxury Palace Hotel with works including: Ivo Nikić

“The five-star H15 Luxury Palace is located in the very center of the Old Town in Kraków, at ul. Św. Jana 15. The hotel is located in the historic building of the Lubomirski Palace, which was created by combining four 16th-century tenement houses. It is a magical and unparalleled place. category. It is the only hotel in Poland that was included on the list of the 15 most beautiful hotels in Europe in the “Fodor’s Finest Hotels 2022” ranking.
The Lubomirski Palace, which houses the H15 Luxury Palace, is a facility of exceptional artistic and historical importance. It has survived to this day with its original interior furnishings and is a testimony to the change of styles in architecture, applied art, and artistic arts. Due to the museum value of the facility as well as the interior design elements, the image of the hotel is a continuation of the vision started by the Lubomirski family, i.e. respect for history mixed with contemporary elements of architecture and art, using noble materials, such as: natural stone, wood, precious metals and glass. It is a kind of gallery of classical art and contemporary art represented by the artist Ivo Nikić, which is available in every space of the hotel.

Winners in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

Pracownia 22 Architects, Aleksander Drzewiecki and Investors PFR Nieruchomości S.A. and partner of the investor TBS Katowice;
Nowy Nikiszowiec housing estate with bas-reliefs: Daniel “Chazme” Kaliński and Ziemowit Liszek from Mozi studio

“The Nowy Nikiszowiec housing estate is located at Gospodarcza Street in Katowice, in the vicinity of the historic Nikiszowiec and the Wieczorek mine. The development, with 513 apartments, consists of 3 quarters, between which public spaces have been arranged (including green courtyards and a central square, with service ground), supplemented with artistic projects. The estate was built by PFR Nieruchomości with funds from the Housing Fund for Development.
Nowy Nikiszowiec refers to the character of its historic neighbor with its urban layout – quarter-shaped buildings, green courtyards, a central square, as well as materials and details – red window lintels and elegant brick-colored plaster. Artistic elements were included in the design. The concrete bas-relief, the pattern of which brings to mind mining symbols such as mine shafts, a perlik (a hammer) and an iron (a short pickaxe), is a characteristic point of the estate where neighbors like to meet. The colors of the relief fit into the brick context, but both the material used – hand-made slabs of mass-colored concrete – and the abstract interpretation of local iconography give the work itself and its surroundings a contemporary character. Apart from the bas-relief at the central square, mosaics with patterns taken from brick threads were created in the entrance niches to individual staircases.

Winners in the OFFICE category:

Glass decoration of the ARCHIGLASS Studio “Szopa Jazowa” in Wrocław, belonging to the ARCHIGLASS studio of Tomasz and Konrad Urbanowicz, who are both architects, investors and artists in this place

“The project includes the rearrangement of the interiors of the author’s studio and gallery ARCHIGLASS “Szopa Jazowa” on the Oder River in Wrocław, which is decorated with works of artistic glass for various purposes – both in purely exhibition and functional forms. In a restored former German warehouse building that once served a trestle-and-spire weir, modern technology intertwines with art. This is the place where the works of artists Tomasz and Konrad Urbanowicz were created. A technologically advanced cast glassworks combines in a historic interior with ready-made glass art objects. From glass legs and lighting objects in the office and studio space, to individual artistic elements in other places of the atelier, referring to the history and current function of this unique building. The overall effect is complemented by a gallery located on the ground floor, exhibiting artistic works in a neutral white exhibition space.

Winners in the EXHIBITION category:

ARCHITECTURE – Bartosz Haduch, Łukasz Mariański and the Investor of the Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow
Exhibition “Masterpieces from the Lanckoroński Collection“

The design of the exhibition arrangement “Masterpieces from the Lanckoroński Collection” is based on direct and indirect references to the presented paintings and their authors, as well as to the location of the exhibition in the Wawel Royal Apartments and the broader context of Krakow. Works by Renaissance artists – Paolo Uccell, Bartholomaeus Bruyn and Barend Graat – were placed in a space combining contemporary forms, technologies and materials with historic interiors and numerous references from the history of art and architecture.
One of the inspirations for the project was the layout of the Wawel Cathedral, where Renaissance and Baroque chapels were located around the main nave. The new architecture of the exhibition was supposed to resemble a contemporary quasi-sacred space, incorporated in a surprising way into the enfilade sequence of rooms, constituting an autonomous form and continuing the tradition of layering various styles and forms at Wawel. The existing vault arch, defining the character of the room, became the starting point for the fluid geometries used. At the bottom, it is complemented by a bent plywood ribbon that serves as a balustrade, a description carrier, and also conceals lighting. The exhibition was located in a room on the first floor of the Royal Apartments, on the Wawel Hill towering above the historic Old Town of Krakow. From the windows of this chamber you can see the towers and domes of churches, standing out against the city skyline. Many of them are topped with various forms of roofs covered with copper sheets, hence the idea to use this material also as part of the exhibition. The idea was to use the building material that dominates at this particular height within the Old Town.

The symmetrical geometry of the forms used in the arrangement refers to the Renaissance and Baroque canons, which is a tribute to the presented works of art and the surrounding historical architecture.

Winners in the APARTMENT/HOUSE category:

Architect Paweł Jurkiewicz Studio and private investor
Realization of the interior of a house with sculptures by Krzysztof Rene

“The house stretches over the very bend of the Narew River. Its glass facades, open to the surrounding nature, directed the search for works of art towards sculpture. When creating interiors, I do not treat art as an addition, but put it on a par with the iconic armchair or stone wall cladding. I believe that the space in life is incomplete without it. Paintings and sculptures, through their uniqueness, give the interior a unique and personal character. They make people sensitive to beauty, allow for a moment of reflection – they take them out of the daily rush.
Art is an essential element of this project. It highlights communication axes, fills specially designed water ground floors, and discreetly divides the functional space into zones. Krzysztof Renes’ sculptures were deliberately scaled to specific spaces of the house. The material and finishing color of each of them was also individually selected – thanks to this, they give each room a unique expression. Together with the investors, we visited the artist’s studio and the choices of specific sculptures reflect the personality of the house owners – thanks to this, a unique bond was created between the household members and the works of art, which makes them priceless. The interiors also include objects spotted years ago, such as a male body or a 19th-century Chinese rice picker’s raincoat framed in a wooden frame. Once an everyday object, today it is a symbol of transience, its imperfection contrasts with a modern interior.

Paweł Jurkiewicz, Interior Designer

The project was awarded in the HOTEL category:

Architect Łukasz Rayss, Rayss Group Sp. z o. o. and Investor Euro Styl SA
Realization in the U-boat assembly plant of the Gdańsk Shipyard with works by Tomasz Krupiński entitled “Shoal of Creatures“

” “Shoal of Creatures” A group of seventeen light objects, ranging in size from 2 to 9 meters, suspended in the soul space of the interior of the Assembly Plant. The structure is made of stainless wire and the covering is made of authentic placuna placenta and placuna ephium shells. Each shell is cut to the form resulting from the structure The whole is complemented by LED lighting and so-called caps made of various materials such as bronze, steel, stainless steel, copper, mother of pearl, black oak. The lamps weigh from 40 to 300 kilograms and their production took 1,560 kg of shells. In the layer of the idea of the place ” “The Shoal of Creatures” contrasts with the architectural severity and materials used there, such as steel, concrete, glass, and corresponds endemically with the wall of greenery that connects all floors and creates a real garden in a post-industrial space. Multiplied anthropomorphic forms of lamps, or rather light objects, combined with greenery introduce us to the unique atmosphere of partly marine and partly volatile creatures. The strange world of Avatar pulsating with light.

Łukasz Rayss, architect

The project was awarded in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

Architect Przemo Woźny with his team and Investor: the City of Poznań and the Archdiocese of Poznań
The Spirit of Palatium on Ostrów Tumski in Poznań with an artistic glass installation by Tomasz and Konrad Urbanowicz from ARCHIGLASS

The glass artistic installation presents an outline of the palatium of Mieszko I and his wife Dobrawa on Ostrów Tumski in Poznań, the first early Piast building from over 1,000 years ago. In recent years, a team of archaeologists from the University of Adam Mickiewicz made an extraordinary discovery of relics of the palatium right next to the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The design of how to present the building, by raising its outline above the floor in the form of a wall, was proposed by architect Przemysław Woźny. He invited the Archiglass Urbanowicz studio to cooperate on the artistic solution of glass.
The material that shows the course of the walls in an innovative but also symbolic way is glass, as an architectural building material on this scale, which is not a historicizing solution, but a contemporary one. An additional ideological value is the origin of the material – glass made of sand metaphorically restores a building that was hidden underground for hundreds of years.
The vertical sides of the wall are unique casts of artistic glass in a hand-made mold, resembling the imprint of stones. Horizontal and diagonal wall elements are made of tempered and laminated glass with a UV artistic print, which carries educational content in the form of historical quotes. The illumination of the facility allows the outline of the walls and the contents contained therein to be exposed after dark in a delicate and consistent manner with the historic surroundings.

The project was awarded in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

NOKE ARCHITECTS studio and the investor, the Va Bene Cicchetti restaurant
Implementation of the Va Bene Cicchetti restaurant with a mosaic by Ola Niepsuj

Location Va Bene Cicchetti – Warsaw’s MDM, is most often associated with monumental construction complemented by excellent decorative craftsmanship. It was difficult to resist the temptation to combine local tradition with Italian – hence the idea to create an original mosaic. Although it gives the impression that it has always been there, this wall composition was commissioned by the owners. The creation of the mosaic was based on recycling – most of the materials were “second cycle” – glass panels from the Venetian Murano glass factory, ceramic waste from the finishing works of the premises and fragments of bottles of wine drunk by customers of the sister restaurant Va Bene in Powiśle. The mosaic base, subtle in its color palette, magically shimmers with red and green reflections – this is the result of locating the composition close to a display case that lets in natural light. From the “living wall”, from islands of shapes, colors and textures, figures emerge – immortalized during an Italian feast – with wine, drinks and, of course, the flagship dish of the place – Venetian Cicchetti sandwiches. It is worth emphasizing that the mosaic was created ‘site-specific’ – it is strongly embedded in the atmosphere of the place and location. The entire design process was carried out together with the illustrator – Ola Niepsuj. Thanks to this cooperation, it was possible to create a holistic impression of the interior, which was complemented not only with mosaics, but also with other decorative elements such as a neon sign or a door handle design.

The project was awarded in the OFFICE category:

Trzop Architekci Studio and Investor: Microsoft Polska
Microsoft Polska office with works by the Kolektyf group of artists and murals by Zuzanna Wollny and Kamil Tobiasz

Each of the three floors of the Microsoft headquarters in Warsaw has a separate theme and related design. The ground floor is nature, the first floor is technology, and the second floor is science. The main theme is “connection”. The user connects with the space in which he or she is staying, but also with each of the leading motifs – nature, technology and science. The floors are connected with each other by light lines run on the ceiling in vertical planes. They flow smoothly. also from the inside to the outside, creating an illuminating light installation on the patio.
Justification: The Microsoft Poland office is one of the projects of which we are very proud as a studio. Innovative, Each floor is characterized by something unique, and the common denominator are murals painted on brick and concrete and visual identification that helps employees find their way in the spaces, were created by the Kolektyf Group.

The project was awarded in the OFFICE category:

Anna Federowicz – co-owner of the Tremend studio and Katarzyna Miastkowska Fruit Orchard Miastkowska Interior Design and investor Wirtualna Polska Media S.A.
Wirtualna Polska Office with works by Sonia Hensler, Tomasz Opaliński, Igor Kubik, Aneta Klejnowska, Katarzyna Bogucka, Karolina Pawelczyk, Joanna Gniada and Marlena Stawarz under the artistic supervision of MAD ILUSTRATORS

The new headquarters of Wirtualna Polska is located in one of the buildings of the Business Garden complex at Żwirki i Wigury Street in Warsaw.

The interiors were designed by Anna Federowicz – co-owner of the Tremend studio and Katarzyna Miastkowska Fruit Orchard Miastkowska Interior Design.

Due to the nature of the employees’ work, the design concept of the Wirtualna Polska office is based on the designation of zones. In addition to the traditional desk work zone, there are areas specially dedicated to the needs of employees, such as intimate “greenzones” where you can work surrounded by greenery or a game room where employees can relax with games, as well as several conference rooms from which you can conduct business meetings. conversations with a team working from other cities.

The walls decorated with murals and wallpapers designed by Polish artists attract the most attention. Combined with a carpet resembling the pattern created by the wind on the sand, they create oases of rest and relaxation. The murals are a continuation of the concept from the previous headquarters, where the conference rooms were decorated with photos of Polish cities. In the current office, young artists have designed murals that introduce viewers to Polish regions associated with relaxation: Masuria, Bieszczady, Podhale, Pomerania, Hel. The designers invited Sonia Hensler, Tomasz Opaliński, Igor Kubik, Aneta Klejnowska, Kasia Bogucka, Karolina Pawelczyk, Joanna Gniady and Marlena Stawarz to cooperate.

Project awarded in the EXHIBITION category:

Polish Pavilion at the Expo 2020 World Exhibition in Dubai
WXCA studio in cooperation with the Bellprat Partner studio from Zurich
investor of the Polish Pavilion: Polish Investment and Trade Agency
investor / coordinator of the temporary exhibition XYLOPOLIS with a painting by Leon Tarasewicz: Podlaskie Voivodeship

By designing the architecture of both the facility and the exhibition itself, the authors created a coherent, immersive space supporting a multidimensional experience. The Polish Pavilion was conceived as a captivating story about creativity and innovation inspired by native nature. Written in the universal language of art and architecture, it allows you to discover, step by step, the secrets of Polish nature, culture and technology. The architects referred to the symbolism of migrating birds, for which our country is one of the key habitats in Europe. The framework for the architectural form of the facility was an expressive, kinetic sculpture surrounding the pavilion, bringing to mind a flock of birds in flight and being a metaphor for mobility – economic, cultural and social exchange taking place in the modern world. The dynamic shape consists of modular structures growing upwards, arguing with gravity. The building, through its sculptural form, creates a space for the exhibition – a gallery of works temporarily presented there, but also allows it to “leave the building”, appear in the public space of the Expo, and invite passers-by to participate. The dynamic shape of the pavilion along with the exhibition surrounding it – a cloud of migrating birds – creates a space for reflection on the coexistence of man with nature, expresses the spirit of our times and the dynamics of the development of the modern world. This idea is perfectly reflected in the work by Leon Tarasewicz, painted especially for the opening of the Polish pavilion and being its integral part – an abstraction of enormous dimensions: 13.5 by 3.4 meters, which is a synthesis of the four seasons – a forest interacting in various ways with the energy of light. The pavilion was designed by the Warsaw studio WXCA in cooperation with the Bellprat Partner studio from Zurich.

Project awarded in the EXHIBITION category:

NIZIO Design International Mirosław Nizio and the Investor of the Museum of the Kielce Region
Mausoleum of Martyrology of Polish Villages in Michniów

The project of the Mausoleum of Martyrology of Polish Villages in Michniów was created in 2009. Mirosław Nizio’s team won the first prize in the competition announced by the investor – the Kielce Village Museum. Viewed from the outside, the building of the Mausoleum of Martyrdom of Polish Villages in Michniów brings to mind wooden country cottages arranged one after the other. This series of symbolic huts has a disturbing form. Individual segments collide with each other and fall apart, as after a cataclysm, earthquake or fire.
The fact that the Nizio Design International studio designed the architecture and the permanent exhibition and ensured the coherence of these two narratives is a huge value of the project, which was appreciated all over the world already at the conceptual and construction stages. The sculptural block is an architectural monument of memory; a symbol of the pacification carried out in Michniów and other Polish villages in 1943. The mausoleum was opened in 2021. The entire designed area is approx. 16,000 m2. The form of the building was determined by sculptural inspirations and concern for the coherence of the designed architecture with the historical narrative. The monolithic body consists of 11 segments. Entering the site, the visitor first comes to

5 closed segments. The sculptural, degraded part is open to nature, sky and landscape, and changes with changing weather conditions. Through the glass and holes in the structure, you can see the larch crosses surrounding the building, the shape and symbolism of which inspired the form of the holes.

Project awarded in the APARTMENT/HOUSE category:

Architect Magdalena Romanowska, Romanowska Studio and private investor
Realization of the interior of an apartment with paintings by Teresa Pągowska, Józef Pankiewicz, Jakub Gliński, Matthieu Cosse

The interior of the apartment, designed by Magdalena Romanowska from Romanowska Studio, is located in a pre-war tenement house from 1899 in Warsaw. The project was created in close cooperation with the owner of the apartment – a passionate of art, design and architecture. The owner’s dream was to create a modernist interior, while maintaining and emphasizing the original elements of the space, including high ceilings, herringbone parquet and window joinery decorated with carved frames and panels. Noble materials, such as Italian Bianco Carrara marble, oiled oak wood and brass, emphasize the elegant character of the interior. The choice of furniture and lighting is a tribute to modernism and the masterpieces of that era. An important element that defines the project is also the presence of the Owner’s collection of art and utility items – contemporary, ancient and traditional crafts brought from long journeys. Each room has been precisely composed. The minimalist space was complemented with works of art by, among others, Teresa Pągowska, Józef Pankiewicz, Jakub Gliński and Matthieu Cosse.

Project awarded in the APARTMENT/HOUSE category:

Formativ studio Katarzyna Dudko, investor Wojciech Fibak and Paulina Ostalowska
Realization of the interior of an apartment with paintings by Tadeusz Dominik, Leon Tarasewicz, Jan Tarasin, Marcin Maciejowski, Teresa Pągowska, Jan Lebenstein, Alfred Lenic, Jerzy Kałucki, Zbigniew Makowski, Rajmund Ziemski, Stanisław Ignacy Witkiewicz, Andrzej Nowacki, Jerzy Nowosielski

The interior design was commissioned to us after the developer handed over the finished apartment. Changes were made to the functional layout in the partition walls, primarily the opening of the space open to the entrance, and instead of a wall, double steel and glass doors were introduced.
The interior, at the client’s request, has the atmosphere of a French apartment. It featured expressive stucco, classic French fir, which was combined with the classics of modern design and, most importantly, with an impressive collection of contemporary Polish paintings from the private collection of Wojciech Fibak.
The interior is the result of our general contracting, i.e. comprehensive execution and supervision of all works from the development stage to the selection of all accessories.
Art is  ubiquitous here. Already at the stage of functional arrangement, individual works were arranged. The entire apartment is dedicated to the exhibition of Wojciech Fibak’s rich collection of contemporary Polish paintings.

Project awarded in the APARTMENT/HOUSE category:

Szaroszyk & Rycerski Architects studio and private investor
Realization of the interior of the house with works by Krzysztof Bednarski, Tomasz Ciecierski, Marek Chland, Oskar Dawicki, Marta Deskur, Aneta Grzeszykowska, Piotr Janas, Koja Kamoja, Zbigniew Libera, Piotr Lutyński, Robert Maciejuk, Przemysław Matecki, Jarosław Modzelewski, Marta Nadolle, Błażej Pindor, Andrzej Szewczyk, Mikołaj Smoczyński, Tomasz Tatarczyk, Elżbieta Piwek-Białoborska, Wit Płażewski, Lubomir Tomaszewski, Zbigniew Horbowy

The house with a beautiful garden built on the outskirts of a big city was designed modestly and functionally. In addition to meeting the everyday and festive needs of its residents, the house houses a wonderful collection of contemporary art and a huge library. At the time of the project’s creation, the collection had existed for years. Experience from previous apartments and houses allowed us to optimally adapt the space and living function to the needs of storing and exhibiting art. The house was designed around the collection. Its functional elements: walls, windows, communication core interact with the objects placed on them. The collection is growing and developing, and the interior of the house has so far adapted perfectly to this development.
The project shows how art can ennoble the space of everyday life and how, at the same time, while accompanying life, it acquires new meanings and values.

LAUREATES 2021

Winners in the RESIDENTIAL/HOME category:

Adam Pulwicki PULVA studio and Private Investor
Interior of the house with paintings by Katarzyna Zygadlewicz and sculptures by Tomasz Górnicki

“Our main goal was to create a functional and simple house, full of light. The interiors exude purity of form and a focus on detail. The minimalist approach is evident not only in the form and color scheme of the interiors, but also in the conscious use of materials, products and finishes. The idea for the interior focused on the energy created by light, material and color. It is complemented by works of art – sculptures by Tomasz Górnicki and paintings by Katarzyna Zygadlewicz.

Justification: Even at the early design stage, one of the basic assumptions was to combine architecture and art as complementary elements. The monochromatic interior, based mainly on whites, grays and blacks, is enriched by consciously selected paintings in tones of orange, red, yellow and even dark pinks and purples, which appear in the painting of Katarzyna Zygadlewicz. An important and consciously introduced element of the space are, next to the paintings, unusual sculptures by Tomasz Górnicki. They have non-accidental locations and build a dialogue with the environment in which they are placed – both inside and outside. For us, they are the perfect combination of minimalism and art.”

Adam Pulwicki, architect

Winners in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

Maciej Siuda Pracownia and Ursynów District Office of the City of Warsaw
Elementary School No. 399 with a kindergarten complex in Warsaw with works by Monika Sosnowska and Katarzyna Przezwańska

“The building was organized around two inner courtyards. Green courtyards surrounded by classrooms with direct access to the outside allow one to move around the entire space without having to return on one’s own footsteps. The terraces massing down towards Kabaty Forest emphasize the openness to the local context. The design process was holistic: construction decisions were fully integrated with landscape and artistic activities.

From an early stage, the project was created in collaboration with artists Monika Sosnowska and Katarzyna Przezwańska, which allowed for the incorporation of art works as integral parts of the building. Sosnowska continues her characteristic work with deconstruction of architectural elements. For this, she uses the railing of the stairs leading to the roof of the kindergarten and the railing along the school terrace. The artist drags and bends the constructions of both railings on the facades, connecting the blocks that make up the complex. Working on a mock-up of the building and analyzing the local natural surroundings, Przezwańska developed the colors and structure of the facades and interiors, including floors, door frames, cafeteria furniture, bathroom grout and the lines of the gymnasium playing fields. The result is works that contribute to the atmosphere and materiality of the building by being an inseparable part of it, rather than a decorative accessory.”

Maciej Siuda, architect

Winners in the OFFICE category:

MIXD Studio and Echo Investment S.A. Investor
Echo Investment office in Warsaw with works by Martyna Berger, Nikodem Szpunar, Maciej Blaźniak and an international group of architects affiliated by the Desplans service.

“The design of Echo Investment’s office in Warsaw, created by MIXD, directly relates to the nature of the investor’s business – the development industry and construction-related fields: including architecture, design and urban planning. Particular emphasis was placed on the scale of the company’s investment activities and the unlimited creative possibilities in the area of city construction. The main inspiration for the project was the film “Inception,” directed by Christopher Nolan. Justification: The role of decoration throughout the office is played by the works of Polish artists (Martyna Berger, Nikodem Szpunar, Maciej Blaźniak) and an international group of architects affiliated by the Desplans service. Some of these graphics are artistic interpretations of buildings erected by Echo Investment and were made specifically for this office. They were arranged according to a strictly thought-out key. They were framed in custom-made wooden frames, and some of them were suspended from conveyor belts, which is one of the many interior details that refer to the construction.”

MIXD Studio

Winners in the HOTEL category:

Studio MIXD and Investor Accor Group

Interiors of the Ibis Styles Sarajevo hotel with a series of murals by Karol Banach

“The hotel, which opened in 2019, was created for the increasingly eager tourists visiting the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who are attracted not only by the exotic clash of cultures and picturesque mountainous surroundings, but also by the city, which is recovering from the tragic war in the Balkans. The 192-room hotel was created by combining an existing building with a newly constructed high-rise. Designers from MIXD decided to use as many elements as possible referring to the peculiarities of Sarajevo: its architecture, history, local crafts.

Studio MIXD used the 1984 Winter Olympics – an event that Sarajevo residents still recall with great nostalgia – as the theme of the project. A series of murals by Karol Banach, in the artist’s typical warm, cheerful and humorous way, depict local landscapes and people spending time practicing winter sports. These works perfectly harmonize with the hotel’s design theme and reflect the emotional attitude of Sarajevo’s residents towards the event. The Olympics are still treated there today as a time of happiness, fun and peace, which was quickly followed by a cruel war.”

MIXD Studio

The project was awarded in the RESIDENTIAL/HOME category:

mow.design studio Weronika Król and Marta Żebrowska and Private Investor

Interior of the house with paintings by Andrzej Kozyra and Jerzy Kenar and sculptures by Karol Wycisek and Mateusz Góralczyk

“The 350-square-meter villa is located in Spain, on the Costa Blanca. The house has an amazing view of the Ifach mountain. However, the beautiful landscape was not the main guideline for the designed interior. The owners of the house are people sensitive to art and have been collecting it for years. The house, although located abroad, is full of Polish accents – sculptures by Karol Wycisek and Mateusz Góralczyk, as well as paintings by Andrzej Kozyra and Jerzy Kenar, wonderfully complement the interior, making Polish art and design not far from the world level.”

mow.design studio:

We are a young, creative team of interior designers. We avoid randomness, we like firm design decisions. We believe in the power of good design focusing on detail, form, quality and, above all, functionality. We excel in designing homes and interiors in Spain.

Justification: The project deserves to be nominated because it is the art that creates its interior. Its selection and purchase (in addition to the functional issues of the entire establishment) became the first design stage. An additional advantage of the project is the promotion of Polish artists abroad.

Weronika Król i Marta Żebrowska

Project awarded in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

NArchitekTURA Bartosz Haduch, Łukasz Marjański, Michał Haduch and Investor National Museum in Krakow.

The exhibition “Hokusai. Wandering…”

„Arrangement of the exhibition “Hokusai. Wandering…” is an attempt to create within the museum halls a space on the borderline between art, architecture and nature. In addition to the unique woodcuts of Katsushiki Hokusai (1760-1849), the project was inspired by motifs rooted in Japanese tradition, culture and aesthetics. The exhibition on display is a substitute for the experience of time travel and a brief visit to a slightly different, but so fascinating reality. It is an architecture of shadow, mystery and unhurried contemplation.

The layout of the exhibition follows the idea of hiding and gradually revealing the view (miegakure), bringing to mind historical temples, palaces, gardens or houses of the “cherry blossom country.” Diagonal screens painted with silver and gold lacquer were introduced into the cuboidal interiors. Such a subdued metallic color scheme is a reference to similar colors used in Japanese art and architecture. The seven free-standing narrow walls disrupt the regularity of the plan and the symmetrical amphitheatre layout, and their drawing may somewhat resemble calligraphic brushstrokes or woodcut incisions in wood. The dark colors of the halls and discreet lighting, in turn, are a nod to the book “Praise of Shadow” by Jun’ichirō Tanizaki. One of the most important elements of the arrangement are the four “gardens” (karesansui), matched in scale to the individual exhibition spaces. They are an attempt to introduce the nature so beautifully and synthetically depicted by Hokusai into museum interiors.”

Project awarded in the OFFICE category:

Patrycja Suszek-Rączkowska Poco Design and Jacek Kulczycki OTO Film Investor
Office interior design for OTO Film with murals by Monika Prus

“The design of office interiors for OTO Film, one of the first and most recognized film studios in Poland, is a project in which the space is designed to both influence creativity and allow for tranquility and inspiration.

The modern, glazed, three-story residential building, including a basement, was adapted for office use. The minimalist body of the building stands out against the traditional buildings of Warsaw’s Mokotow district. Large planes of windows reveal original interiors letting the surrounding greenery inside. Plenty of light, a garden and three terraces give breath and space for creation.

The base of the interior is concrete. It can be found both on the exposed raw reinforced concrete ceilings and on the floors and individual walls. The raw, loft-like atmosphere was warmed up with colorful accents and upholstered furniture, and the whole was completed with art.

This project is a new look at office space. It is a world of creation set in a minimalist interior, which shows the importance of art in space. The 5m wide and just under 3.5m high wall covered with microcement was given over to muralist Monika Prus. A tangle of black structural lines with strong patches of color creates non-obvious, dynamic silhouettes of figures. We get the impression of brainstorming, without which there is no creative work so present in a creative industry such as the work of OTO Film.

The mural adorning the main wall of the first floor was born together with the interior design, so it is an inseparable part of it. It attracts attention with its scale, texture and intense colors. Its purpose is not only to decorate, but also to carry a message by leading the interior user into awe, reflection and reverie. Other elements of the interior, including classics of world design and excellent designs by Polish designers, are only to complement it.”

Project awarded in the HOTEL category:

Małgorzata Żółtowska, Wojciech Żółtowski Manufaktura 69

Hotel Galery69 with paintings by Malgorzata vel Meggy Bernhardt and sculptures by the owners of the hotel

As well as works by Jan Pruski, Robert Listwan and jewelry by Tomasz Żółtowski

“An intimate, boutique, unique and very private lakeside hotel. Built in 2000 as an adaptation of a village school building. In 2007 it was significantly rebuilt and expanded to include a swimming pool, a conference room and more rooms – a total of 21 rooms. The architectural and interior design and functional concept, followed by implementation and use, made by the studio “Manufaktura 69”, that is, the duo Malgorzata and Wojciech Żółtowscy. The hotel is a member of prestigious networks like Design Hotels, The Aficionados, Visa Luxury Hotels, Michelin Guide, DNA Hotels.

Justification: From the seed of the idea to the final realization only 2 authors – Małgosia and Wojtek Żółtowski. Out of the need to display their own creations, a very unique object was created, which was to become a home for art, and became a work of art in its entirety. Each piece of architecture and interiors was created in their own tiny manufactory as a result of passion and imagination. Every piece of furniture, object, lamp or sunshade, was handmade in the author’s workshop. In the common space of the hotel – every inch of space serves as an exhibition area for paintings by Małgosia aka Meggy Bernhardt and sculptures made together with Wojtek. There are also several works by friends of the artists – Jan Pruski, Robert Listwan, Henryk Cześnik. In the showcases there is jewelry made by Tomasz Żółtowski and unique dresses by designer Isabella Cremer. Here at Galery69 applied art is in everyday use. Spotting an art gallery in a place where art is celebrated at all hours can be difficult, so here and there there are card-marks suggesting that the chair you’re sitting on can be purchased. We’re whetting our appetite for beauty, aided by a gorgeous lake landscape framed by large windows.”

LAUREATES 2020

Winners in the RESIDENTIAL/HOME category:

Katarzyna Kuo Stolarska KUOO ARCHITECTS and Private Investor

Interior of the house with paintings by Grzegorz Worpus-Budziejewski and sculptures by Willy Verginer and Marcin Rząsa

“Luxurious and minimalist interior of a detached house in northern Poland. The simple, clean and spacious interior, which focuses on quality rather than quantity, is characterized by perfectly chosen colors, furnishings, materials and lighting, which provide the whole with coherence and sophisticated taste. The interior was complemented by art: specially commissioned large-format paintings by Grzegorz Worpus-Budziejewski decorating the hall and cinema room. In the living room, two sculptures by Willy Verginer stand against a wall covered with steel, and in the hall, an exquisite sculpture by Marcin Rząsa stands against a painting.

The style is simple and kept in a sandy natural color scheme.

The project shows that art can be adapted to any interior. In the submitted house, the art is heavily exposed and is an inseparable part of the design. It is as streamlined as the rest of the furnishings. She is the dot over the “i” that makes the house personalized and more characterful. The fact that the art of Polish and foreign artists has been mixed is valuable. All the elements are consistent with each other despite the fact that they come from such distant places.”

Katarzyna Kuo Stolarska, architect

Winners in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

Bartosz Haduch, Łukasz Marjański NArchitekTURA and the National Museum in Krakow

Stanisława Wyspiańskiego monographic exhibition

“When embarking on the project of arranging the exhibition of Stanislaw Wyspianski’s works from the collection of the National Museum in Krakow, we tried to strike a balance between a neutral background for the exhibits and a unique set design that emphasizes the genius of this artist. The varied character of each of the seven rooms corresponds to the chronological and thematic narrative of the exhibition, following the concept of “graded impressions” – as in a movie or theater script. Instead of literal quotations from Wyspianski’s work, we have proposed a contemporary interpretation of it, achieved through advanced technologies (design and execution) and modern materials. The opportunity to confront our design visions with the work of one of Poland’s most outstanding artists was a great honor and a challenge for us. In our project, we tried to create a scenario of space, in which the supporting roles – arrangement, lighting or etalting – help the main role – the multidisciplinary work of Stanisław Wyspiański – to fully exist. It is architecture that, while remaining in the shadow of the brilliant artist, is nevertheless visible, stimulating a dialogue between the works of art and their surroundings and viewers.

The monographic exhibition of Stanisław Wyspiański at the National Museum in Cracow was visited by more than 350,000 viewers, which is an attendance record for cultural institutions in Poland, and also has a concrete educational and promotional value (not only in terms of Young Poland art). The arrangement we designed was an attempt to closely integrate art with architecture, and the contemporary formal and color solutions were rooted in the work of this versatile artist, but also in the places with which he was associated and for which he created. To some extent, the exhibition contributed to the renewal of a kind of “fashion for Wyspianski,” evident not only in the scope of numerous accounts and publications, but also in the reuse of his works within various fields, not only art (e.g., in film, theater, fashion, graphic design and even tattooing). It was also a prelude to the launch of an international competition for a permanent home for his works in Krakow, to be built next to the Main Building of the National Museum.”

Bartosz Haduch, architect

Winners in the OFFICE category:

JEMS Architekci sp. z o.o.

JEMS Architekci office interior with paintings by Tomasz Trzupek.

“JEMS Architekci studio has been in existence since 1988, however, the architectural team, which is its nucleus, has been operating continuously since the early 1980s. Beginning independent practice during the period of political transformation, JEMS joined the current of rebuilding Polish architectural culture.

The studio operates under the formula of a workshop office, open to diverse ideas and views, but maintaining its own recognizable language, which is characterized by rationalism and moderation.”

Tomasz Trzupek

Architect and painter, graduate of the Faculty of Painting at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw and the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology.

In his works he combines painting and architectural experience.

“At a time when the rank of architecture is increasingly determined by the extent of its media image, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the architectural studio with a series of paintings, formally closer to geometric abstraction than to polished renderings, has a touch of perversity in it. This gesture also says a lot about the studio itself, which, while taking a rational approach to the market and professional realities that surround it, consistently moves within them on its own terms.

Part of the exploration [of developing the workshop, facing successive design tasks in all their historical and cultural complexity] are the paintings by Tomasz Trzupek, who, using both his architectural and artistic training, has created his own painterly language, vividly illustrating the nature of JEMS studio’s projects.

The paintings are not calculated for media effect. Rather, they are an investigative look cast backward, toward selected projects. In their restrained, geometric form and limited color range (…) they say more about this architecture than many a photograph. They show its materiality: structure, mass, texture, choice of materials and composition: the rhythm of the facades, the tectonics of the masses, the dynamics of urban interiors, or the spatial relationships between building fragments.”

Aleksandra Kędziorek, from the introduction to Tomasz Trzupek JEMS Architekci’s album, published to commemorate the studio’s 30th anniversary, Warsaw 2019

Winners in the HOTEL category:

Przemo Łukasik, Łukasz Zagała MEDUSA GROUP and Tacit Investment Polska S.A.

Interiors of the Nobu Hotel in Warsaw with works by Anna Bimer, Piotr Uklański and Mikołaj Moskal, among others.

“Nobu Hotel is located in Koszykowa Street in the center of Warsaw vis-a-vis the fashionable Koszyki Hall.

The lump, designed by the Medusa Group studio on behalf of Tacit Investment Polska, was created by staggering seven floors in relation to each other on a “V” projection. In this way, the rounded, corner block of colored architectural concrete gained balconies, which, planted with greenery, create a vertical garden in the center of the city. The interiors, sparing in form, operate with simple materials: concrete, wood, stone, glass.

They were designed in a Japaneseizing style, referring to the heart of the hotel – Nobu Restaurant.

Among the visual elements present in the hotel is the motif of a golden line running along the first floor facade, which appeared at the initiative of Walk with David – a company that designed the concept of the Visual Identification System based on the guidelines of the Nobu Hotels brand. Suminagashi – as the element is called – is a stylized motif based on a form of artistic expression from the 12th century, using water and ink to create planes and abstract forms. Its organic lines shatter monotony in an orderly arrangement. Suminagashi is meant to be used in a subtle way – Nobu Hotels uses it in its printed promotional materials, including business cards.”

Medusa Group

“The art that fills Nobu Hotel’s interiors is a link between the hotel’s Japanese DNA and the Polish context of the place. Elegant, almost jewel-like works by Anna Bimer were selected for the rooms, evoking associations with Japanese woodcuts. The works of Piotr Uklański, one of the most recognizable Polish artists, use elements that refer to materials important in Japanese culture such as ceramics and fabric. The natural techniques of the works and their organic nature warm up the gently austere interiors of the hotel.”

Katarzyna Wąs, responsible on behalf of the investor and in consultation with the architects for the selection of artworks for the new part of the hotel.

Paintings and sculpture from the Jankilevitsch Collection were loaned for the hotel’s common areas.

Meanwhile, the art displayed in the historic part – the Rialto Hotel – was selected by the owner.

LAUREATES 2019

Winners in the PUBLIC SPACE category:

Andrzej Chołdzyński and the City of Warsaw – Warsaw Metro

Second line of the subway with works by Wojciech Fangor

“Metro stations are the most visited public buildings in the city. So they are an excellent place for artistic expression, communicating with the public, if necessary, shaping their tastes. Since we designed the central section from a single “beat”, it was, in my opinion, an excellent opportunity to make one joint project-artifact co-generating the new metropolitan space of Warsaw.

Programmatically, I recognize that painting and sculpture are essential elements of architecture. That’s why for the competition project I invited Wojciech Fangor, one of the most prominent op-art creators, who knew perfectly well what Urban art means – suffice to mention his earlier realizations with, among others, arch. arch. J. Soltan, Z. Ihnatowicz, O. Hansen.

From the beginning we worked together on the whole space. Thus, a ticket to the subway became a ticket to the world of fine arts: architecture, painting and sculpture, where the painter together with the architect created something on a metropolitan scale thus influencing the shape of the city.”

Andrzej Chołdzyński, architect

Winners in the COMMERCIAL AND SERVICE SPACE category

Witold Dudek and Global Trade Center S.A.

The North Gallery in Warsaw with Oskar Zięta’s work titled Vortex.

“The idea of installing the WIR sculpture was born during the design work. Together with the Investor, we were thinking about introducing a contemporary interesting spatial form into the vast space of the inner atrium. We were looking for an interesting element, of appropriate scale and form, an object that would not dominate the space, but would interact with it. We considered various elements, materials, forms that could exist in this place. We were helped by the well-known artist Oskar Zięta, who specializes in the innovative FiDU steel processing technology. The form proposed by the artist, consisting of five upward-twisting steel forms resembling a vortex, fit into the designed space. The completed 3-meter mock-up looked inviting, and allowed the final decision to install the sculpture in the Gallery building. Due to its scale, the sculpture became a challenge not only for the artist but also for the team transporting and installing the elements at the site. The final result satisfied both the sculpture’s author, the investor and the designers of the building. WIR is an interesting form of contemporary art installed in a commercial building, which is received positively by visitors to Galeria Północna.”

Witold Dudek, architect