The Dialogue Centre Upheavals in Szczecin, designed by Robert Konieczny, earned the title of World Building of the Year at the 2016 World Architecture Festival. This project, which also received the European Prize for Urban Public Space, cemented his position as a significant figure in contemporary European design through his work with the Katowice-based studio KWK Promes.
Professional Origins and Education
Born in Katowice in 1969, Konieczny completed his formal architectural training at the Faculty of Architecture at the Silesian University of Technology. He further expanded his technical qualifications in 1996 by obtaining a certificate from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. These educational foundations facilitated his entry into the profession, leading to the establishment of his own firm, KWK Promes, in 1999.
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Throughout his career, Konieczny has achieved consistent recognition from global architectural institutions. He is a member of the Académie d'architecture and has been nominated ten times for the European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, administered by the Mies van der Rohe Foundation. In 2008, he was recognized by The Chicago Athenaeum as one of the 'Europe 40 under 40' cohort. His portfolio has received numerous accolades, including the 2021 Iconic Award for the Quadrant House, the 2020 German Design Award for UNIKATO, and the 2017 International Architecture Award for Konieczny's Ark.
Documentation and Monograph
In 2024, the publishing house Images Publishing released a comprehensive English-language monograph documenting his professional output. Titled 'Robert Konieczny KWK Promes. Buildings + ideas', the book was authored by Philip Jodido and provides a formal record of the firm's projects and conceptual approaches developed since its inception.
Fast facts
- Born: 1969, Katowice, Poland
- Firm founded: 1999
- Education: Silesian University of Technology
- Member: Académie d'architecture
- Notable project: The Dialogue Centre Upheavals
- Notable project: Aatrial House
- Notable project: Quadrant House
- Nationality: Poland and Italy
Questions readers ask
Where is the firm KWK Promes based?
The studio is based in Katowice, Poland.
Did Robert Konieczny win the World Building of the Year award?
Yes, he received this award in 2016 for the Dialogue Centre Upheavals in Szczecin.
Achievements
- European Prize for Urban Public Space
- Trained at Faculty of Architecture, Silesian University of Technology
