Architecture competition Great Kemeri Bog Visitor Center honorable mention - Kamila Szatanowska, ​Paulina Rogalska, ​Michał Morzy and ​Jakub Nanowski

We’d like to take the opportunity to introduce you to the winners of one of our Honorable mentions for the “Great Kemeri Bog Visitor Center” competition - Kamila Szatanowska, ​Paulina Rogalska, ​Michał Morzy and ​Jakub Nanowski from Poland!

Kamila Szatanowska, ​Paulina Rogalska, ​Michał Morzy and ​Jakub Nanowski from Poland

We are a collective of two young studios - Blok Studio and Fala Architektura, both based in Gdańsk, Poland. We share a cozy co-working space, where we exchange knowledge, experience and inspiration. Our two ateliers complement each other in the fields of their activity.

Fala Architektura is a newly born Studio founded by Paulina and Kamila. Their focus is mainly architecture, interior design and small public spaces design. Blok Studio focuses on photo-realistic visualizations of unbuilt architecture and new design ideas. It was founded almost 3 years ago.

Brief information about the projects that you/your company have been involved with. For instance what scale have you focused on/preferred, any significant projects where company/ individuals have been involved?

Kemeri Visitor Centre is our first architecture competition together.

FALA architektura

We gain experience working in architectural offices. So far, we've worked on projects such as museums, railway stations and interior design for, residential, service and office spaces. Currently, as a team, we are working on a prototype project for a forest cabin, the major function of which is to intensify experiencing nature and activating the dormant human senses. Recently, we won 1st prize in the Buildner Iceland Northern Lights Rooms Competition.

Now, we are focusing on architecture closely related to nature and human senses.

BLOK studio

The genesis of Blok is architecture. Both of us, Michał and Jakub, graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Gdańsk University of Technology. The idea of realizing our passions in the preparation of photorealistic visualizations arose out of love for architecture and photography. We create all type of architectural visualisations, from detailed interior design shots to the visions of complex multi-functional spaces. Our clients are mostly architects and designers from all over Europe. From time to time, as a stepping stone from working in computer graphics, we are involved in participating in architectural contests and small architectural projects.

What does architecture mean to you and what is the role of an architect in your society?

Architecture is a combination of material and non-material components, structures and emotions and the sensations that they evoke, arts and crafts, and at the same time, the everyday environment of human beings which should be both ergonomic and convenient. Architecture design is not only about structuring buildings and solving technical problems, it is also, and perhaps above all, giving shape to human life, creating a background and narration for everyday events. At the same time, it takes enormous responsibility to form emotions, impressions and experiences.

The architect's role is to be extremely attentive to the world around him, deriving the maximum amount of information and knowledge about human functioning in a space and using it for creation.

Why do you participate in architecture vision competitions?

For us, taking part in architectural vision competition is a big chance for experimentation with space and structure, an opportunity to celebrate the design process and to face unusual topics.

What advice would you give to individuals who struggle to decide whether it would be beneficial for them to participate in architecture vision competitions?

Regardless of winning the competition, taking up new challenges is an important element of every architect's professional development. The effect of our competition design work is important and can be highly motivating, but the most important thing is to celebrate the design process that leads us to the goal.