The end of 2020 was rich in numerous solutions to architectural competitions. In mid-December, we also met the winners of the second edition of the Art in Architecture Festival competition, which promotes the use of art in private, public spaces and commercial buildings. From among numerous entries, the jury selected winners in four competition categories: apartment/home, public space, office and hotel.
The goal of the entire event is to encourage investors and architects to collaborate with artists in the design of private interiors and public spaces. This year the jury, which included Witold Dudek(APA Wojciechowski, chairman of the jury) Aleksander Jankowski, Aleksander Roszkowski, Piotr Kroenke and Jozef Chwedorowicz, selected the four best projects, of which works of art are an integral part. Both project authors and investors were awarded.
award in the apartment category, proj.: KUOO Architects
photo: Katarzyna Kuo Stolarska, Mateusz Kuo Stolarski
apartment/house
In this category, the jury awarded Katarzyna Kuo Stolarska of KUOO Architects and a private investor. They appreciated the interior of the house with paintings by Grzegorz Worpus-Budziejewski and sculptures by Willy Verginer and Marcin Rząsa. The jury was delighted with the juxtaposition of moods of the interior, in which subdued colors provide a good background for the sculptures and paintings. The art in this realization is as economical yet strong in expression as the rest of the decor.
In the words of Katarzyna Kuo Stolarska:
"The art here is a dot over the i, which makes the house personalized and more 'characterful.' The fact that art by 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.
public space
Another award went to the team - Bartosz Haduch and Łukasz Marjański of the NArchitekTURA studio - and the National Museum in Cracow for the arrangement of the monographic exhibition of Stanisław Wyspiański. In it, the architects managed to strike a balance between a neutral background for the exhibits and a unique set design highlighting the artist's talent.
award in the public space category, design: NArchitekTURA
photo: Jakub Certowicz
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," said Bartosz Haduch.
This is how the chairman of the jury Witold Dudek justified the decision:
This is a bold, rare approach to exhibition space. The background for the art on display has become art at the same time. However, the interior does not compete with the exhibition, but perfectly complements it. The variety of spatial forms used, the scale of the interior, the colors and light used, create a perfect climate for contesting both the collections and the interior itself.
office
In the "Office" category, the winner was JEMS Architekci studio and the interiors of their Warsaw office. The jurors appreciated the arrangements, which highlighted the paintings of Tomasz Trzupek. Using both his architectural and artistic training, the artist created his own painterly language, vividly illustrating the nature of the projects created by JEMS Architekci. The series of paintings on display at the studio's headquarters was created to commemorate the office's thirtieth anniversary.
award in the office category, proj.: JEMS Architekci
photo: Piotr Waleszkiewicz
The austere space of the interior corresponds to the austere form of the architectural design elements, which is perfectly matched by the graphic works. The consistent color scheme of the interior and works creates an impression of uniformity. Daylight complements the created composition through an interesting play of chiaroscuro," reasoned Witold Dudek.
hotel
The interiors of Warsaw's Nobu Hotel, with works by Anna Bimer and Piotr Uklański, among others, were recognized as the best realization in the "Hotel" category. The award went to architects Przemo Łukasik and Łukasz Zagała of the medusa group studio, and investor Tacit Investment Polska S.A. In justifying the verdict, the jury noted the sophisticated composition of architecture and art enclosed in an elegant space. Raw concrete and glass juxtaposed with soft wood created the perfect background for the paintings, which were delicate in expression.
award in hotel category, design: medusa group
photo: Juliusz Sokolowski
Theart that fills Nobu'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, evoking associations with woodcuts, were selected for the rooms. The works of Piotr Uklański [...], with the elements used, 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," said Katarzyna Wąs, responsible for the selection of artworks for the new part of the hotel.
The Art in Architecture Festival competition is organized by the Foundation for Social and Cultural Innovation with support from the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.
