On October 29, 2019, the Jury of the competition entitled "Wood in Architecture" for the best master's thesis completed in the field of Architecture was held. The competition received 26 works from 9 departments of Polish universities.
The deliberations were attended by: Chairman of the Jury - Aleksander Asanowicz, Ph.D., arch. professor of PB, Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of PB, Jury Commissioner - Adam Jakimowicz, Ph.D., member of the Board of Directors of Unihouse S.A., Roman Jakubowski member of the Board of Directors of Unihouse S.A., Tomasz Duryński Manager of the Architecture Department of Danwood S.A., Dr. Eng. arch. Tomasz Bradecki, Vice Dean for Cooperation with the Social and Economic Environment of the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology, architect Waldemar Jasiewicz, Chairman of the Council of the Podlasie Regional Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland, architect Jerzy Szczepanik-Dzikowski, JEMS architekci Sp. z o.o.
Final Gala of the "Wood in Architecture" competition.
© organizer archive
During the deliberations, the Jury nominated 14 works for further proceedings, and then, after discussion, a decision was made to award prizes in accordance with the competition regulations.
The announcement of the results and the award gala took place at the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology on November 14, 2019. The ceremony was attended by the Vice-Rector for Student Affairs Dr. Jaroslaw Perszko, Prof. PB, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Unibep S.A. Jan Mikołuszko, representatives of Danwood S.A., Deputy Mayor of Bialystok Adam Musiuk, members of the WA Development Council, Pro Dean for Cooperation with the Social and Economic Environment of the Faculty of Architecture of the Silesian University of Technology Dr. Eng. arch. Tomasz Bradecki, Director of the Department of Architecture and Construction of the Podlaskie Voivodeship Office Ewa Welc, Director of the Department of Urban Planning of the Municipal Office in Białystok Agnieszka Rzosińska, President of the Board of the SARP Branch in Białystok dr. inż. arch. Piotr Trojniel, Chairman of the Council of the Podlasie Regional Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland arch. Waldemar Jasiewicz, staff and students.
Winners and organizers of the "Wood in Architecture" competition.
© archives of the organizer
Jan Mikoluszko, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Unibep S.A., a leader in the wooden housing market, said in his speech that he would like very much:
that everyone should like wood, as our villages liked it... We are heart and soul for creating interest and new ideas for the use of wood in architecture.
In turn, architect Waldemar Jasiewicz Chairman of the Council of the Podlasie Regional Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland, juror of the competition said that:
the competition proved one thing - that architecture is not just a wall, ceiling, roof, window, door... Architecture is supposed to produce emotions and affect the user subliminal. All the works - from the honorable mentions to those awarded and nominated for the finals - deserve to be called outstanding works. And I must admit that the "Wood in Architecture" competition has a chance to become - after the "Diploma of the Year", which is chosen by the Association of Polish Architects - a very important particle in the arena of architectural events in Poland.
The lecture entitled "The Polish Pavilion for the World Exhibition EXPO 2020 in Dubai" by arch. Marta Sękulska-Wrońska of WXCA
© organizer archive
The ceremony was highlighted by a lecture entitled "The Polish Pavilion for the World Exhibition EXPO 2020 in Dubai" by arch. Marta Sękulska-Wronska of WXCA - Pracownia Architektoniczna. This studio won the competition to develop the conceptual design of the Polish Pavilion and indoor exhibition for the World Exhibition EXPO 2020 in Dubai. The pavilion will stand on a plot of nearly 2,000 m² in the mobility section.
1st Prize
"Water crematorium in Szczecin".
proj.: Julia Przybyszewska (Faculty of Architecture, Cracow University of Technology);
Supervisor: Prof. Jacek Gyurkovich, PhD;
Assistant Supervisor: Mateusz Gyurkovich, PhD, Prof. PK.
"Water Crematorium in Szczecin",
designer: Julia Przybyszewska
Post-competition opinion:
The award was given for attempting to solve the difficult problem of an alternative approach to the subject of death and burial, creating a mystical atmosphere using minimalist architectural solutions. The author proposes an interesting, albeit controversial, solution to the problems of burial using an ecological form of resomation, namely water cremation. It should be emphasized the achievement of a symbolic in meaning effect, the water route of the coffin and the procession during the ceremony. In terms of spatial expression, the whole is enclosed in minimalist forms built on the basis of wood, optimally responsive to contact with water.
2nd Prize
"Shelter architecture at the intersection of the needs of the individual and the community under conditions of isolation. Design of a polar station on Spitsbergen"
proj.: Maciej Sokół (Faculty of Architecture, Warsaw University of Technology),
supervisor: Anna Grabowska, Ph.D.
"Architecture of shelter at the intersection of the needs of the individual and the community in conditions of isolation. Design of a polar station on Spitsbergen",
proj.: Maciej Sokół
Post-competition opinion:
The award was given for an interesting approach to the problem of shelter as a space at the intersection of the needs of the individual in a particular and specific environment of seclusion and in the context of permanence and temporariness. The background for the consideration of the psychology of the place is, adopted by the author, the harsh climate of Spitsbergen, allowing the analysis to take into account the extreme climatic conditions, as well as the delicate human relations. Using a range of technological tools and wooden building blocks, the work gives a sense of the right way to build "home" as, as the author himself points out, "the idea of domesticity." The result created and presented in the work seems to aptly fit the accepted assumptions.
Third Prize
""Green-up". Competition concept for a residential and commercial building in New York".
proj.: Kamil Koralik (Faculty of Architecture, Wrocław University of Technology);
Supervisor: Dr. Krzysztof Cebr
""Green-up". Competition concept for a residential and commercial building in New York",
proj.: Kamil Koralik
Post-competition opinion:
The award was given for an interesting and pertinent look at sustainable architecture, combining glulam construction with steel elements in a compact New York City development while providing residents with a friendly and ecological green space. The virtue of the proposed solution is the adoption of the flexible principle of building a modular functional fabric according to investment needs. Recognition is also given to the idea of creating the so-called green way, named by the author in the title - "Green-Up", which, thanks to the modular construction, allows the plants to climb together with the building, creating a communicatively connected green route.
equal honorable mention
"Open Retreat House in the Bieszczady Mountains".
proj.: Karolina Zuba (Faculty of Construction and Architecture, Lublin University of Technology);
Supervisor: Dr. Hubert Trammer
"Open retreat house in the Bieszczady Mountains",
Project designer: Karolina Zuba
Post-competition opinion:
An honorable mention was awarded for a poetic journey "to the end of the world away from civilization." The author tries to find "the genius loci of a village that does not exist." In her creative journey, she wants to create a hostel, a chapel and a cottage, i.e. a space in a place where, as she claims: "nature itself will lead the retreat." The material is to be local - wood, stone, straw, used with maximum respect for the terrain in the local style, the Bieszczady context. The proposed result of the work builds a magical, artistically beautiful atmosphere of its reception and reminds the viewer that the creation of architecture can, with minimalist means of expression, present the entire range of possibilities of the architect's profession.
equal honorable mention
"Concept of residential development in Italy - Green ribbon over Milan".
proj.: Magdalena Baran, Marta Żwaka (Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology);
promoter: Dr. Andrzej Duda
"Concept of residential development in Italy - Green ribbon over Milan",
designed by: Magdalena Baran, Marta Żwaka
Post-competition opinion:
The award was given for an interesting attempt to define a new approach to multi-family housing, allowing residents to be in contact with nature, and as the authors emphasize, "away from the hustle and bustle." The presented work seeks to respond to the problems of the living spaces of modern cities, devastated by concreting, noise or the state of air quality. The created space offers an apt exploration of the creation of an architectural landscape of "living among the greenery and colors of nature." In doing so, the work discreetly touches on the problem of revitalization, creating a multifunctional roof that is a green bridge between the buildings, symbolically binding the entire estate together.
We congratulate all winners and participants on the high level of the works delivered.
More information is available on the website of the organizer of the "Wood in Architecture" competition .
