ZTPO (The Thermal Waste Treatment Plant) in Kraków nominated for the most important architectural awards in Europe

By the decision of the jury of the competition, through the national elimination to the prize were selected 10 objects from Poland. Among the buildings, which distinguish in terms of architecture – especially among the impressive and unique shapes of museum buildings and exhibition pavilions, this year the jury also appreciated the value and aesthetic potential in the industrial facility. It can be considered that the nomination of the waste incineration plant in Krakow has become a kind of a surprise, because very rarely in the competition of this type happens that industrial objects or infrastructural facilities are noticed.
This nomination primarily means a very nice distinction and honor for the architects from PROCHEM, including for leading designer, Jakub Baczyński. The other architects from nominated object in Kraków are the authors of the competition concept cooperating with PROCHEM at the stage of detailed design: Michał Teller (Teller Architekci), Filip Łapiński (Łapiński Architekci), Bogusław Wowrzeczka (Manufaktura nr 1).

Mies van der Rohe Award is the most prestigious and most important architectural prize in Europe. It is awarded on behalf of the European Commission, and the organizer of the competition is the Foundation Mies van der Rohe. The assumption of the contest is to emphasize the importance of the work of architects in the development of pioneering and innovative ideas in contemporary urban planning in Europe. Highlighted are the most unique, interesting and innovative objects both in architectural and functional terms. The prize is awarded every two years since 1987.

The announced list of nominated objects is only the beginning of struggle in the competition. The next stage in selection will be so-called short list – which means selection of 40 objects. It is not until in the spring final five of best European buildings will be presented officially. Announcement of the prize winners in the competition will be preceded by the visit of the organizers in the objects appointed to the final. The winner of this year’s prize Mies van der Rohe in May will be announced during a gala to be held in Barcelona.

It is worth mentioning that the winner of the previous contest Mies van der Rohe in 2015 was building of the Philharmonic Hall of the name of Mieczyslaw Karlowicz in Szczecin. This year, with impatience and hope we will wait for the announcement of the results… maybe a second time most valuable architectural prize will go to the object in Poland. Exceptionally we keep our fingers crossed for a unique, nominated industrial facility in the country – for the waste incineration plant in Krakow. The object designed by PROCHEM is the block, which links installations connected with the process of incineration of waste, and which distinguishes itself by characteristic styling outside – colored stripes reminiscent regional costumes from Krakow or a landscape divided by the colorful fields.

At the same time we would like to remind that the architects from PROCHEM received in May 2016 award in the most important architectural event in Poland – in the competition Award of the Year of the Association of Polish Architects. Incineration plant in Krakow is among the most significant architectural objects built in our country.