The Municipality of Kraków, represented by the Kraków Municipal Investment Authority, and the Kraków Chapter of the Association of Polish Architects have announced a single-stage, implementation competition for the design of a complex of multi-family residential buildings along with a publicly accessible pocket park on Dekerta Street in Kraków.

The competition is a limited, single-stage design competition.

In accordance with the current local zoning plan, the new buildings should blend harmoniously into the existing urban fabric. The height of the buildings should not exceed three or four stories. An attractively designed public space with street furniture and recreational infrastructure, parking spaces, spaces for bicycles and scooters, at least one electric vehicle charging station, and a pocket park should be located in the immediate vicinity of the buildings.

One-bedroom apartments with an average area of 35 m² should account for 10 percent of the complex, two-bedroom apartments (55 m²) — 40 percent, three-bedroom apartments (70 m²) — 40 percent, and four-bedroom apartments (85 m²) — 10 percent.

The buildings should feature a modern design with carefully crafted details that give the structures their identity. They should be characterized by architecture that is friendly and appropriate for the location—close to the city center and the rapidly developing Zabłocie district.

The entire site is to have an open character, accessible to residents of nearby buildings. Efforts should be made to minimize the project’s negative impact on the natural environment, with particular emphasis on preserving as many trees as possible

The developer’s intention is to construct facilities that are optimal from both an economic and ecological standpoint, in accordance with contemporary principles of sustainable development. The project should also comply with universal design principles.

For more information, see the competition rules

Prizes

• First Prize — 60,000 PLN gross and an invitation to negotiate a single-source contract for the provision of services based on the selected entry
• Second Prize — 45,000 PLN gross
• Two Honorable Mentions — 15,000 PLN gross each

Timeline

• Deadline for submitting requests for clarification of the contest rules (Round 1): July 31, 2026
• Deadline for submitting applications for admission to the competition: by August 14, 2026
• Deadline for notifying participants of their admission to the competition: by August 28, 2026
• Deadline for submitting requests for clarification of the contest rules (Round 2): by September 11, 2026
• Deadline for submitting competition entries in electronic and physical form: by October 30, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.
• Announcement of competition results: November 16, 2026

Competition Jury

• Piotr Lewicki — Chair of the Competition Jury, SARP Kraków Branch
• Rafał Zawisza — reporting judge, SARP Kraków Branch
• Ewa Janik — SARP Katowice Branch
• Janusz Sepioł — judge representing the organizer, Chief Architect of the City of Kraków
• Katarzyna Opałka — judge representing the organizer, City Gardener
• Małgorzata Trybus-Radzik — judge representing the organizer, the Municipal Investment Board in Kraków
• Janusz Olesiński — judge representing the organizer, expert in social housing (TBS)
• Magdalena Baran — alternate judge, judge representing the organizer, the Municipal Investment Board in Kraków

Competition Secretary:

• Magdalena Buczyńska — SARP Kraków Branch
• Rafał Mroczkowski — Assistant Secretary, SARP Warsaw Branch