On Friday, February 28, awards were presented for the architecturaland urban planning competition for the concept of a housing development on Ratuszowa Street. The jury, chaired by Prof. Boleslaw Stelmach, Director of the National Institute of Architecture and Urbanism, selected six winners from 93 ideas submitted. Three prizes and three honorable mentions were awarded.
The main criteria used by the jury included functionality, reference to the existing urban fabric and architectural qualities of the designed buildings.
The first place and PLN 25,000 was won by BE DDJM Architekci, a Cracow-based architectural firm. In the design process, the architects were guided primarily by the fit of the building into the Prague architecture of the 1950s, with the bureau's director Marek Dunikowski emphasizing the specific location of the site - almost in the center of the city, yet somewhat forgotten. Hence, the designers were also guided by the general idea of creating for people, to make them want to live there, to revitalize the neighborhood. The project calls for the construction of nearly 5,000 apartments, as well as service and commercial infrastructure. Construction of the development is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2022. This is what the director of BE DDJM Architects himself says about the project:
Second place went to the Dutch studio MVRDV, third to Warsaw's Fiszer atelier 41. Three honorable mentions went to BBGK Architekci studio, BDM Architekci and TZA Aleksandra Targońska studio.
The jury also included representatives of Warsaw City Hall and the Mazovian Regional Monument Conservator, members of SARP, as well as representatives of the PFR Real Estate company.
