This is the best architecture of Malopolska. Results of the 10th edition of the competition for the Stanisław Witkiewicz Award

Dobrawa Bies

17 of September '20

First place in the public space category. Great Synagogue Memorial Park in Oswiecim

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For the tenth time, the best architecture was selected in the competition for the Stanislaw Witkiewicz Award of the Malopolska Region. The statuettes were awarded for valuable, contemporary architectural realizations conducive to the protection and shaping of the cultural landscape of Malopolska.

Theaward, which has been granted biennially since 2003, is aimed at supporting valuable architectural realizations which, referring to the existing architecture and cultural landscape of Malopolska, co-create a harmonious public space, and can be a source of inspiration for the buildings and spatial development in their surroundings. The patron of the Award is Stanislaw Witkiewicz - an artist, endowed with extraordinary intuition, who in his architectural projects and realizations skillfully combined functionality and respect for the context of the place in which they were created.

This year, 40 projects were submitted to the competition in three categories:

public architecture (14 objects),
residential architecture (17 objects),
public space (9 realizations).

According to Radoslaw Kuś - inspector, Heritage and Cultural Activity Team:

This year 's jubilee edition of the competitionfor the Stanislaw Witkiewicz Award shows that Malopolska is a dynamically developing region, where many architecturally valuable objects are being built, regardless of the traditional or modern materials and solutions used. All of them contribute to enriching the cultural landscape of the entire region, often becoming its showcase. However, he realizes the necessity of continuous continuation at many levels of promotion and education activities concerning the formation of good space and architecture, which creatively and innovatively fits into the surrounding space. [...]

The evaluation of the submitted works was carried out by the jury consisting of: Marcin Brataniec (Vice President for Creative Affairs, SARP Krakow Branch), Marcin Charciarek (Head of the Department of Elementary Architecture, Krakow University of Technology), Juraj Hermann (President of the Slovak Association of Architects), Piotr Kuczia (designer, winner of the 2018 competition), Piotr Lewicki (representative of the Lewicki Łatak Design Office, winner of the 2018 competition.), Ewa P. Porębska (editor-in-chief of the "Architektura-murator" monthly), Janusz Sepioł (head of the Provincial Land Use Plan Team of the UMWM), Marek Tarko(chairman of the Council of the Małopolska Regional Chamber of Architects of the Republic of Poland), Małgorzata Tomczak (editor-in-chief of the "Architektura & Biznes" monthly).

best public utility architecture

First place: railroad station in Oświęcim

In the category of public utility architecture, first place went to the railroad station in Os wiecim designed by Pawel Kosmicki and PKP S.A. Office of Funds and Investment Preparation Design Department. The investor of the object is the Polish State Railways S.A.

As we read in the justification of the jury:

The award was given for the creative modernization of an important but neglected building, resulting in the achievement of high functional and aesthetic standards while preserving many of the building's characteristic values.

Second place: Imperial in Krakow

Thesecond place was awarded by the jury to the Imperial office building in Krakow, whose authors are: Artur Jasiński i Wspólnicy Biuro Architektoniczne, Artur Jasiński, Marta Grochowska, Marcin Pawłowski, Paweł Wieczorek. Author cooperation was handled by: Dominika Cenda, Katarzyna Kapłoniak, Adrian Kasperski. The investor of the office building is Imperial Capital. The jury awarded the prize for the creative solution of rational glass architecture, exceptional order and clarity of the building's functional-spatial solutions, as well as for the very good incorporation of the building's volume into the urban context.

Third place: the Residents' Integration Center in Świątniki Górne

Third place was awarded to the Residents' Integration Center in Świątniki Górne, whose investor is the Świątniki Górne municipality, and responsible for the project are: Maciej Kozub, Marian Mikołajski, Katarzyna Mroczek (cooperation), Architekci Mikołajski & Wiese. The realization was appreciated for its interesting combination of the architecture of the old school building with the added modern part, which allowed to harmonize the mass by using a thoughtful contrast. An additional value was the involvement of the local community in the process of shaping the public space.

Aspecial honorable mention was awarded to the Zakopane villa Elisabethbin by the AMAR architectural firm.

best residential architecture

First place: a cottage in Dursztyn

In the residential architecture category, first place went to Domek in Dursztyn, whose architects are Gaja Bieniasz and Javier Presencio Fernandez, and whose investor is Wojciech Goj.

As we read in the justification of the jury:

The award was given for the building's respectful integration into its surroundings. The modest symmetrical body and natural materials refer to regional traditions. Minimally interfering with the terrain, the house manifests the pursuit of harmony with the environment.

Second place: team CHE162PI47

Thesecond prize was awarded to a multi-family residential building - CHE162PI47 in Cracow, designed by Kita Koral Architekci (Piotr Kita, Tomasz Koral). The investor of the buildings is Podskale Development. The realization was appreciated for its proposal to use the free geometry of multi-pitched roofs to shape an urban-disciplined, sculptural form of a multi-family house.

Third place: a single-family house in a rural area in Bochnia.

Thethird prize went to a single-family house in a rural area in Bochnia, by the duo Mateusz Górnik and Magdalena Górnik. The investor is Wioletta Maraj. The realization was awarded for integrating the building into the local context, creating a semi-private space and referring to the buildings included in the Wooden Architecture Route.

best public space

First place: the Great Synagogue Memorial Park in Oświęcim.

The Great Synagogue Memorial Park in Oświęcim, designed by Bartosz Haduch, Łukasz Marjański, NArchitekTURA, and Magdalena Poprawska, Imaginga Studio (cooperation), was named the best public space in Malopolska. The park's investor is the Auschwitz Jewish Center Educational Foundation.

As the jury's justification reads:

A subtle architectural intervention turned a neglected part of the city into a place of reflection and remembrance. The memory of the demolished synagogue was realized with modest means and without escaping into literalness, and thanks to the project, Oświęcim gained an interesting sign of a part of its community that was brutally cut off from culture.

Second place: the Glade on Sikornik in Cracow.

Thesecond place was awarded by the jury to the Glade on Sikornik in Cracow, for creating a unique, subtle and non-dominant place with an architectural form, enabling contact with nature, isolation from the urban noise and sensitization to the sounds of the forest. The authors of the project are: Design Studio of the Board of Urban Greenery in Krakow, Barbara Kazmirowicz and Kinga Nestorowicz, and the investor is the Board of Urban Greenery in Krakow.

Third place: Dragon Square in Decius Park.

Third place went to the Dragon Square "Do Woli" in Park Decius in Krakow by JAKABE Projekty (design team: Wojciech Jakubowski, Olaf Cirut, Katarzyna Piszczkiewicz, Jakub Zemanek, Grzegorz Dziedzic) The investor is also the Board of Urban Greenery in Krakow. As we read in the justification of the jury, the award was given for creating an inventive, carefully inscribed in the terrain, child-friendly space, which one does not want to leave.

Unfortunately, due to the prevailing pandemic, the awarding of statuettes at a gala ceremony, as was the case with previous editions, will not take place. The organizers - the Marshal's Office of the Malopolska Region and the Cracow branch of the Association of Polish Architects - will inform about the date and method of handing over the statuettes to the winners of this year's edition of the competition.

the public vote is still on!

For the first time in the history of the competition, the Audience Award will be granted, which will be selected on the basis of Internet voting. You can choose your favorites in the three contest categories here. You can vote only once, until September 30 of this year, for one project in each category.