14 November 2019

Fascinating wood

Water crematorium in Szczecin - the diploma work of Julia Przybyszewska from the Cracow University of Technology has won in the second edition of the national competition "Wood in Architecture", organized by the Faculty of Architecture of the Bialystok University of Technology. The sponsors of the competition are Unibep SA and Danwood SA.

 Almost 150 people - students, lecturers and invited guests took part in the official conclusion of the competition, which took place on 14 November 2019 in the auditorium of the Faculty of Architecture of the university.

- Wood is a very good building material and we want to prove that using this material some beautiful and functional buildings can be created - said Jan Mikołuszko, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Unibep SA. - And through the products of Unihouse and Dawnood - two companies producing wooden buildings in modular and panel technology - we prove that using this material a market success can be achieved.

Before the awards were presented, the participants listened to Marta Sękulska-Wrońska, an architect from WXCA architecture office. She was the co-creator of the Polish Pavilion at the World Exhibition Expo 2020 in Dubai, which was made of wood. She talked about both the idea that guided the architects and the challenges they had to face to be able to build such a facility in Dubai.

- It is because there are even no such standards for wooden buildings with area of more than 35 square meters - said Marta Sękulska-Wrońska.

About the first place, the work of Julia Przybyszewska, the chapter wrote: "The prize was awarded for an attempt at solving a complex issue of an alternative approach to the topic of death and burial, creating a mystical atmosphere using minimalist architectural solutions. The author proposes an interesting, yet controversial, solution to burial problems using resomation as an ecological form of cremation, which means water cremation. In her work, she goes beyond technological aspects. She conducts a thorough analysis of the attitude of various religions to the issue of broadly understood cremation, to conclude that the proposed form of resomation, as the most ecological, can contribute to a change of view on the last farewell ceremony."

The second place was awarded to work "Architecture of shelter joining the needs of an individual and the community in conditions of seclusion. "A project of the polar station on Spitsbergen", presented by Maciej Sokoł from the Warsaw University of Technology, and the third place - "Green-up. Competition concept for a residential and service building in New York” presented by Kamil Koralik from the Wrocław University of Technology.

Two distinctions were awarded for: Carolina Zuba from the Lublin University of Technology and Magdalena Baran and Marta Żwaka from the Silesian University of Technology. 

Nine graduates from several universities received special diplomas for nominated projects.

- We are happy that the diploma works we have received this year are at a very high level. I am absolutely convinced that a bright future lies ahead of wooden architecture - concluded Professor Aleksander Asanowicz, the dean of the Faculty of Architecture, Białystok.

The memorial photo at the end of the ceremony: the awarded and honoured, the promoters and partners of the competition.