Hits and kits of 2025
The turn of the year is the best time for all kinds of summaries. And like every year, we ask practitioners and architecture critics to write what they consider a success and what they consider a failure in a given year. We do this in the convention of Kits and Hits. We give our Authors and Authors complete freedom of expression and do not moderate this discussion.
HITS
1. planning system reform
It may seem surprising that I include reform among the hits (however, it also appears on the list of kits), but I greatly appreciate the first serious attempt to regulate what, where and how one will be allowed to build. No exceptions, no specs, with the idea of sparing (as much as possible) space. Certainly, many of the first versions of general plans will turn out to be rather haphazard patchworks, but they will become, perhaps imperfectly, but a strong starting point for planning at the municipal scale. In addition, planning "in the new way" cannot be looked at solely from the perspective of general plans, but also ZPIs - integrated investment plans that allow a negotiated approach to setting planning conditions and significantly accelerate the adoption of local plans. Significant benefits in this mode are seen especially by developers practiced on the "lex", but this tool can also allow planning changes for public investments, where the provisions of existing plans are not favorable or simply do not keep up with the changing reality.
2 International successes of Polish studios
International appreciation of the realizations of Polish studios no longer surprises anyone today, although it is a relatively recent phenomenon. 2025 brought not only a number of interesting nominations for the Mies van der Rohe Award and distinctions in commercial competitions, but also the PULSE grand prize in the architectural category for the Gambit Office project by KWK Promes. The export of design services is developing rather slowly and spectacular successes in realisation competitions are still a rarity. Therefore, the real reason for joy and pride came at the end of the year with the first prize in the competition for the Florenc 21 concept in Prague for the P2PA studio from Wroclaw. Congratulations!
KITS
1. planning system reform
Not all municipalities have yet proceeded to enact master plans. Urban planning studios are barely breathing, trying to complete all orders. Offices have been inundated with applications for vuzettes. Amendment chases amendment, legal interpretation chases interpretation. The media and social media are full of opinions demonizing the reform, and panicked landowners are looking for ways to keep development possible where it shouldn't be built. Over the years, it has been possible to bypass bans and restrictions with various legal tricks, so even today so-called fixers are in demand, conjuring up anything an investor asks for. Fortunately, this "magic" will cease to work once the general plans are enacted, but we still have to wait a while for that.
2. competition for a library in Rzeszow
It is difficult to even comment on this unfortunate situation. From irregularities in the tender for the competition operator to attempted manipulation during the deliberations - the full package. The slogan "Rzeszow" since the publication of the vote of separation of the four judges arouses malicious smiles in the environment or jokes like "only Kuma doesn't get anything". Regardless of the final solution, confidence in the integrity of contests has been badly shaken and its restoration will require a lot of work in the near future on the part of ordering parties, operators and judges.
Monika ARCZYŃSKA
more: A&B 2/2026 - Education,
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