Interview with Marlena Wolnik

I try not to fall into any frames or schemes
 

Marlena Wolnik, owner of MWArchitekci studio, talks about architecture with great passion, though not necessarily in entirely positive terms. She discusses her career path and vision of architecture, the difficulties architects face in Poland, and her two projects that were awarded in the first edition of the Saint-Gobain Glass Design Award.

How would you describe your projects and your style?
I try not to fall into any frames or schemes, although there is probably a common denominator for all projects from my studio (MWArchitekci). In my opinion, the hallmark of style and value in architecture is its timelessness—I always strive to ensure that a project does not become passé after a year or two. My projects vary in terms of assumptions and materials, but what unites them is the idea—whether for space, function, or even detail. Context is extremely important to me—a project must fit within it. A building can be changed or rebuilt, but we have little influence over its surroundings. We must respect them, which does not necessarily mean repeating what is already there.
 

These principles are perfectly reflected in the two projects you authored that won awards in the first edition of the Saint-Gobain Glass Design Award. That was the intention. 
The headquarters of the Zagłębiowska Chamber of Commerce in Dąbrowa Górnicza, covered in polished metal, reflects its surroundings, which have great value. The city plans to adapt post-industrial buildings into a cultural and business center. To avoid competing with this setting, we used polished metal on the façade, which acts like a mirror, reflecting everything around it—not just buildings but also people. The Chamber’s role is to unite entrepreneurs, foster integration, and collaborate in business—the reflections serve as a metaphor for the building’s purpose, encouraging interaction.

In the second awarded project—the Forest House—both the investors’ wishes and the building’s backdrop directly influenced the use of wood as cladding inside and out. Simple façade walls feature three-layer wooden panels, while curved walls are clad in debarked larch planks. The wood has naturally aged to resemble the tree trunks around it, making the house look as though it was carved from a giant baobab. Glass serves as an elegant addition that highlights the rawness of the wood without disrupting its atmosphere.

In this project as well, we see the mirror effect—the surroundings are reflected in the large glazing. 
Yes, this further emphasizes the relationship between the building and its surroundings. This house is somewhat reminiscent of a camera, with the entrance as the viewfinder and a wide-angle lens that, when you’re inside, reveals a panoramic view of the forest. The reference to cinematic terminology is also visible in the ground-floor glazing—the glass acts as a filmstrip running through the building, displaying images both from outside to inside, revealing different rooms, and from inside to outside, where we see frames of the garden and forest.

You often incorporate glass into your projects—where does your passion for glass come from? 
Glass is present in almost every space—we interact with it from an early age. It has become so common and natural that it is practically impossible to create a functional and comfortable building without glazing. I appreciate the skillful use of glass and the ability to showcase its unconventional advantages—what we can gain through it in a building, in terms of space, effect, and impression. I am fascinated by working with a material that is both present and absent at the same time. It’s a bit like Andersen’s fairy tale "The Emperor’s New Clothes"—he was told he was wearing clothes, but in reality, he wasn’t. Glass is that "clothing," allowing buildings to be presented in a completely different way—using this invisible plane to reveal the blending of interior and exterior while still protecting us from temperature differences. The impression, the view, the light—none of these are disrupted.

Is that why you were interested in the Saint-Gobain Glass competition?
I was helping one of my students prepare an entry for the Saint-Gobain Architecture Student Contest, which has been organized internationally for over twenty years. While on the company’s website, I saw information about the first edition of the competition for architects. Since I frequently use Saint-Gobain Glass products in my projects, I thought it was worth showcasing them to the world and the jury. The jury’s composition is always one of the key factors in my decision to participate—it also determines the quality of the competition. In this case, the panel consisted of people I respect and admire, who are both valuable architects and individuals—that was the deciding factor for my participation.

During the award ceremony, you mentioned that installing glass is the most stressful part of a construction project for you. 
Yes. At that moment, tensions—both in the glass and within me—are immense, so to avoid doubling the stress, I try not to be present on-site during installation (laughs). My presence wouldn’t help, and when I’m not there, the specialists have one less observer. Installing large-format glass panels involves lifting them with suction cups and fitting them into frames, so even the slightest wrong move can shatter an entire pane.

Nonetheless, the result is surely worth the stress?
Absolutely. In both the Forest House and the headquarters of the Zagłębiowska Chamber of Commerce, the glass serves as lenses, offering perspectives on the outside world. Glass works beautifully with polished metal—both materials reflect the surroundings in different ways, yet the structure covered with them remains cohesive. Systematic design was crucial for this building—repeating elements allowed a simple shift of three modules to create an entrance recess and, on the other side, a small terrace where office occupants can step outside. I was concerned about how this rather bold structure for the location would be received. Of course, there are always negative opinions, but the feedback I’ve mostly received has been positive. I even saw a local dance group record a music video with the building as a backdrop, and people take selfies in front of it or use it for their business photos. The building has also become a landmark in the city, which makes me very happy. Although it was designed as a temporary structure, perhaps it will settle in for good? (laughs).

In this project, user interaction with the building takes on an even broader meaning. 
These are the "delights" of design—you never fully know how a building will "behave." How it will interact not only with its surroundings but also with time and unforeseen circumstances. In one of my studio’s projects—the Local Activity Center in Rybnik—a pavilion was built to serve as an additional facility for the complex. However, during the pandemic, when restrictions limited indoor gatherings, this pavilion took on a central role—it became a place where children met, ordered pizza, and spent time together. It was a pleasant surprise for me that the building adapted to the times and unexpected circumstances. To me, that proves it was well-designed. What makes me happiest is when users—whether of private homes or public buildings—simply like the structures and feel comfortable in them.

The projects we are discussing have won numerous awards. Do you often submit entries to competitions?
There are two types of competitions – those for completed projects, where we submit existing, built structures, and those for conceptual projects. Taking part in a competition is both a financial and time investment, and you never know if it will pay off, so it's not always feasible. However, it is a very valuable experience because, even if you don’t win, you can learn a lot, see how other participants approached the problem, and how they responded to the competition guidelines.

As a competition judge for the Association of Polish Architects, you also have the opportunity to evaluate the work of other architects.
I enjoy judging competitions. A judge doesn’t just evaluate but must also thoroughly understand all the projects, ensuring they address the given problem in accordance with the rules, regulations, and standards. Understanding the variety of solutions to a given topic is an invaluable learning experience, both for the judges and for the client, who gains a fresh perspective on the issue.

I am a board member of the Katowice branch of SARP, which organizes many competitions. It always pleases me when we manage to convince city authorities to hold a competition instead of a tender, where, unfortunately, the main selection criterion is price, meaning the cheapest project wins. When city representatives go through the entire competition process with us, they begin to appreciate the value of this method of selecting creative work.

You speak about architecture with true passion – have you always been fascinated by it, and is that why you chose this profession?
My mother always wanted to study architecture, but for various reasons, she never had the opportunity. I only started considering this path a year before my high school graduation. I took up drawing classes, convinced I wouldn’t get in, as I had been practicing for such a short time and didn’t think my skills were strong enough. However, after the entrance exams, I not only got accepted but ranked first! That was the first sign I had made the right decision.

I almost quit after my first year, though, because I had done a project at a more detailed scale than my professor wanted and had to redo it. But later, I joined a group of people who participated in competitions—which wasn’t very common at the time—and often with success. That reinforced my belief that I was on the right path. I became fascinated by the ability to shape reality and space.

I’ll never forget the feeling when I saw my first project brought to life – still during my studies. I walked into a sports store whose interior I had designed and saw workers installing elements that I had drawn. I thought, "Something from those sheets of paper has just materialized!" (laughs)

Later, together with Robert Konieczny, I co-founded the KWK Promes studio, which I actively contributed to until 2005. We worked on ambitious projects and entered many competitions. Then, I moved to Ireland for three years, working in several architectural offices, and upon returning to Poland, I established my own studio.

Are there significant differences in the practice of architecture between Ireland and Poland?
The difference is huge, especially in terms of respect. In Ireland, an architect is a trusted professional, like a doctor or a lawyer. When a landlord learned that I was an architect, he decided a formal lease agreement wasn’t necessary. For three years and two months, he simply came on the designated day of the month, collected the rent, noted it in his notebook, and that was it. A handshake there carries great significance – it’s a completely different mentality.

Respect for architects also stems from the fact that in Ireland, the architect manages the budget provided by the investor. They allocate funds, make decisions, and oversee the project. There is also a government-mandated minimum fee for projects, which is a fixed percentage of the investment’s value. Similar regulations exist in Germany and Austria, though at one point Austria abandoned this approach, fearing price monopolization. However, the result was a surge in construction-related insurance claims due to errors. Cheaper documentation meant less time spent on the project, leading to poorer execution and more defects. I believe Austria eventually reinstated the minimum pricing system to ensure solid project development—the foundation of the entire construction process.
 

And how does it look in Poland? Are there set guidelines for budgets and project values?
No, here we have a tender system, and the project with the lowest price wins. Germany handles this well—automatically eliminating the cheapest and most expensive bids. This prevents price dumping and price inflation. The remaining middle-range offers are usually quite close in value. I don’t understand why implementing such a simple rule in Poland is so difficult. I suppose we are still mentally stuck in the communist era, where people were used to defects—what mattered was that something was done cheaply, not well.

Since we are discussing challenges, is it more difficult for women to work as architects than for men?
On a construction site, I am simply an architect—whether I am a woman doesn’t matter to me. However, there are times when men, who dominate the industry, struggle with taking instructions from a woman. As long as it doesn’t affect our overall cooperation, I don’t dwell on it.

Over the years, the gender ratio in architecture studies has shifted dramatically. It used to be a male-dominated profession; when I studied, it was 50/50. Now, as a lecturer, I see that the vast majority of students are women. We’ve debated why this is—have women realized they can pursue careers in architecture, or have men decided it’s not the profession for them and moved into fields like IT? I don’t know.

Regardless, the change in gender proportions in architecture programs is staggering. Even if half of the female graduates leave the profession, women will still outnumber men. This shift is already visible in the media—in expert debates, newspapers, and television. Sooner or later, there will be more women on construction sites too. And that’s great because eventually, what will matter is not gender but knowledge, experience, skills, and competence.

Despite your career in architecture, you advise against studying it. Why?
Architecture is an extremely difficult profession. It requires a multi-layered skill set—from sociology and human behavior analysis to abstract spatial thinking, legal and technical knowledge, and material science. Beyond that, you must convince officials, persuade clients, and “battle” with contractors. Seeing a project through involves navigating many stages and people. It’s incredibly challenging.

It’s frustrating that the profession has been devalued in Poland by people who don’t understand its significance and by policies that allow the destruction of space due to poor regulations. Winston Churchill said, "We shape our buildings, and thereafter they shape us." There’s a reason why some neighborhoods foster crime while others provide a good quality of life. Architecture affects us all—we live in buildings, go to offices, drive on streets lined with structures. It continuously influences us.

I read a study on how the size of windows in hospitals impacts patient recovery. The larger the windows, the greater the connection with nature, and the faster patients heal. The cost of increasing window size is minor compared to the financial benefits of shorter hospital stays and faster returns to work. When choosing a project, we shouldn’t focus solely on construction costs but also consider its impact over 10, 20, or 50 years.

Returning to your projects—what are you currently working on?
I have the pleasure of collaborating again with Marcin Jojko and Bartłomiej Nawrocki of Jojko + Nawrocki Architects—the co-authors of the award-winning House by the Forest in the Saint-Gobain Glass Design Award competition. Working with them is incredibly valuable to me, as I hold them in great respect. We are currently working on a large project, and while I can’t reveal much, I can say that it is a sports facility. Additionally, I am completing several projects, including the renovation of a historic tenement building and a house featuring bold glass design solutions.
 

Do you have a dream project—something you haven’t yet had the opportunity to work on?
During my third year of studies, we were assigned a residential building project. We had to choose one of four types: block, tower, gallery, or corridor-style housing. Most students went for the popular choices, and I waited to see what was left. My mentor, Professor Henryk Zubel, told me that the topic itself doesn’t matter—it’s how you solve it that counts. I completely agree.

My biggest dream is to streamline the entire architectural and construction process, improving relationships between investors, architects, officials, and contractors. We should work as a team striving for the best result, not as opponents in a battle.