Timeless, atmospheric, and refined down to the smallest detail—these are the interiors created by Anna Maria Sokołowska, an award-winning architect and Kontakt-Simon Ambassador. Anna Maria Sokołowska is a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning at Gdańsk University of Technology. In 2006—while still a student—she founded her own studio through the Academic Business Incubators program. Initially, she operated under the name Dragon Art and combined her own practice with gaining experience at architectural firms in the Tri-City area, where she designed, among other things, residential buildings for developers and single-family homes. In 2016, she changed the name of her studio to its current one—Anna Maria Sokołowska Interior Architecture—and today she is one of the most recognized architects specializing in premium interiors. For several years now, she has been sharing her knowledge with others as part of the Designer Education project.
How would you define the role of an interior architect today in the context of contemporary design challenges—functional, aesthetic, and social?
Which aspects of your daily design work do you consider key to maintaining high-quality projects, and which ones require the greatest flexibility from architects today?
What we simply cannot compromise on is the high quality of materials and details. That’s why, before a potential client begins working with us, we start the conversation with what many find uncomfortable—namely, money, or more specifically, the budget. We do not accept mediocrity or designs that look good on the surface but hide poor-quality materials beneath an aesthetic facade—materials that will begin to deteriorate in a short period of time. That’s why, even when working with investors on rental apartments or with developers, we plan our projects around budgets that allow us to use materials that will stand the test of time—because no one wants an interior that’s just “for a little while.”
What areas of development—professional, design, or business—do you consider most important in the coming years?
For the past six years, we’ve been living through a process of constant change. Change management is the most valuable skill we can acquire, because only then are we able to build resilience against the stress associated with it. Businesses that for years operated under the belief that there was one “right” path to follow and failed to diversify now have a lot of work to do to redefine themselves in light of the changes they need to make. Many companies realized too late that operating according to established patterns no longer yields the desired results, and acting in a panic has led to further crises. Flexibility and the ability to base a business on multiple pillars can ensure greater peace of mind and greater resilience in the face of changing conditions.
How do you view your role as a Kontakt-Simon Brand Ambassador, and how does your design experience translate into a conscious collaboration with a manufacturer of interior design solutions?
For me, dialogue and solutions tailored to both my needs and those of my clients are important. I’ve been working with the Kontakt-Simon brand continuously since 2008, so when I was invited to join the group of ambassadors, it was a natural step for me. If you have confidence in a brand and in the products you’ve been using for years in your projects, this kind of collaboration takes on a whole new dimension—one that goes beyond design. Technical support, training, and meetings for architects are things every company should provide at the highest level.
What led you to choose a career as an interior architect, and has there been a mentor along your professional path who has had a significant influence on your approach to design and creative work?
I’ve known what my career path would be since I was 15, and the years that followed were a consistent pursuit of that goal, even when difficulties arose along the way. I’m a structural architect by training, but interiors have always been my greatest passion. This year, my studio is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and I’ve personally been designing for over 20 years. My greatest source of support on my path to this profession has always been my grandmother, who wanted to become an architect, but family turmoil effectively prevented her from attending college. It wasn’t her goal for me to fulfill her dream, but it seems she must have passed her love of architecture down to me through my genes.
Which Kontakt-Simon products do you use most often?
The Simon Go Series and the 55 Series.
