Kraków's new landmark

Ingarden & Ewy Architekci has won the competition to provide the design of the new Congress Centre in Kraków. The Krakow-based design studio Ingarden & Ewy Architekci (IEA) won the competition for the design of a new modern Congress Centre complex in Kraków. A total of 36 Polish and international design studios submitted their projects for this high-profile development. "All of the participating works were on a very high level," commented after the competition Jacek Majchrowski, the Mayor of Kraków. According to the jury, IEA's project was chosen because of the way the modern building elegantly fits in with the historical buildings nearby. The building will be constructed on a plot next to the Manggha Centre of Japanese Art and Technology, located right across the Vistula River from the historical Wawel Castle and cathedral. The Congress Centre will offer a total of 18,000 sqm of space. "There will be three halls in the building with 1,800, 600 and 300 seats respectively. On some 500 sqm there will be couple of small conference rooms. The building will also possess an underground parking lot for 320 cars," said architect Krzysztof Ingarden. In addition, visitors will have the opportunity to admire the beautiful view of Kraków's Old Town from the complex's glass foyer. IEA collaborated on the design of the development's three congress halls with the famous Japanese architect Arata Isozaki. In the past the studio worked with him on the design of the Manggha center in Kraków. The project is scheduled for delivery in 2012. IEA has previously designed a number of embassy buildings, galleries, residential, public and office buildings. Among the studio's best-known projects are the Polish pavilion design for Expo 2005 in Japan and the design of three churches in Kraków's Nowa Huta district, Niepołomice and Kraków- Płaszów.