Ngā Uiuinga me Roland Stanczyk

I am Roland Stańczyk — Architect and founder of RS Studio Projektowe. I have been designing professionally since 1999 (now 26 years of practice) and lead projects from concept through construction supervision and completion. My training is from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology (with a scholarship period at the University of Detroit), and my early career included work in advertising animation and set/visual design for television. Over the years I have focused on luxury residential interiors, but my portfolio also includes public interiors (shops, offices, spas) and urban-scale commissions; I manage the full development process together with selected contractors. My practice has been recognized in international competitions and editorial features.

Design for me grew from two sources: formal study and early hands-on production work. Architecture school gave me the tools and discipline; parallel involvement in visual media (animation, set and TV design) taught me how meaning is created through composition, light and movement. In 1999 I founded RS Studio to bring those interests together — to reinterpret historical languages of Polish interiors with contemporary techniques. What drove me was both an internal curiosity about how space shapes life and a fascination with Poland’s architectural layers: the challenge of restoring dignity to older buildings while meeting today’s functional and technological needs. Mentors and colleagues from academia and practice influenced me along the way, but the decision was largely an internal conviction: good design should respect history, serve people, and embrace appropriate technology.

1. Context and continuity — respect for the building’s history and the cultural logic of place; I frequently reinterpret historical motifs in contemporary language.

2. Materiality and craft — careful selection of materials (wood, stone, natural finishes) and attention to joinery and detail so the interior ages well; tangible quality is crucial.

3. Integration of art and technology — placing artworks and curated objects as integral to the composition while using modern building and smart-home technologies discreetly to raise comfort and performance.

Designing brings a mix of curiosity, challenge and quiet satisfaction. The most electric moments are the birth of the idea — the instant a compositional principle appears that solves both programme and atmosphere. I also love the forensic, problem-solving joy of resolving technical and craft constraints: those are deeply satisfying. Finally, seeing a completed, lived interior — especially when the client, art collection and architecture begin to “talk” to one another — produces a calm pride. Designing gives me meaning: it’s the pleasure of shaping daily life and of seeing culture, craft and technology cooperate.

Non-design skills that matter most in my work are: project management and coordination, client communication and curation, and historical research. Managing budgets, timelines and multidisciplinary teams (engineers, contractors, artisans) is as crucial as the concept; good communication keeps the original intent intact through execution. Historical research informs how I borrow and reinterpret details appropriately. Early experience in visual media taught me narrative and composition; years of supervising builds taught me patience and technical judgment. The biggest influences have been Polish architectural history and the practice of placing original XX-century Polish art in interiors — both have consistently shaped my decisions.

My ongoing growth is twofold: deepening research and broadening scale. I am extending my practice’s ability to combine scholarship (respect for heritage and light research) with high-quality execution. In the near future I plan to continue design work for sophisticated private clients while developing larger public or cultural commissions — museums, small institutions, or curated private-museum homes where architecture and collection meet. My dream project is a cultural house or small museum that is itself an inhabited piece of architecture: a project where conservation, contemporary design, lighting research and curated collections are integrated from the first sketch through the interpretive program. I also remain committed to mentoring younger designers and contributing to professional organisations so that standards for interior architecture continue to rise.

To young designers I always say: do not rush to build a portfolio—build yourself first. Master drawing, history, and construction. Learn to listen and to see. The danger for many young designers today lies in believing that software will replace knowledge and experience. Technology is only a tool; it cannot compensate for weak foundations or poor taste.

You will face setbacks — indecisive clients, technical constraints, or budget cuts — but those are the lessons that will shape you most. Early in my career I learned that design is not only about creativity but about persistence and negotiation.

One of the best pieces of advice I received from a professor was: “Draw less, think more.” It means that concept and intention must always lead form. I grow my own knowledge constantly through site observation, travel, reading, and dialogue with craftsmen and engineers. True education never ends — every project is a new school.

For fellow professionals, my strongest suggestion is: practice consistency with humility. Success is not measured by the number of awards or media features but by the quality of relationships you build—with clients, collaborators, and materials.

Always design for someone, never at someone. Understand the user’s life and emotions before deciding on materials or technologies. Avoid the trap of repeating yourself or chasing visual trends. The goal is not to invent new shapes every year, but to find coherence between place, light, proportion, and human comfort.

Another principle I value is discipline of detail. The smallest decisions — a joint, a light level, a door handle — decide the final impression. Architecture and interior design are slow arts; they require patience, not instant gratification. And remember: taste and integrity are your strongest currencies.

My typical day begins early with coffee and quiet review of ongoing projects — often sketching corrections by hand before the team arrives. I check correspondence and site updates, then move into design meetings or client presentations. A large part of my workday involves coordination with engineers, contractors, or artists whose input enriches the design.

I enjoy visiting construction sites; that is where drawings become reality and where many design decisions are refined. I often end the day reviewing details, lighting schemes, or material samples.

Small rituals keep me balanced: background music in the studio, a brief walk, or a conversation with colleagues about something unrelated to work. Even an ordinary day holds small satisfactions — a resolved junction detail, a client’s smile, or seeing good craftsmanship executed exactly as imagined.

I observe trends but I do not follow them. Awareness is important — every designer must know what happens in the world — but imitation is not. I am interested in timeless quality rather than seasonal style.

My projects evolve through cultural observation rather than fashion. I study exhibitions, art, materials research, and new technologies in lighting and smart-home systems — but I apply them selectively, in ways that serve the idea of the space.

Inspiration for me rarely comes from magazines; it comes from architecture, music, nature, and historical interiors — from the play of light in an old stairwell or a painting by a Polish modernist. Trends fade; atmosphere endures. My aim is to design interiors that will still feel coherent twenty years from now.

A well-designed space feels inevitable — nothing can be added or removed without breaking its balance. Good design for me means clarity of idea, honesty of material, and comfort of use.

When I enter a room and everything seems to breathe naturally — proportions, light, circulation, acoustics — I know it works. The project should age gracefully, not depend on decoration to hide mistakes.

Common mistakes include over-designing, ignoring context, or prioritising image over logic. A design is good when it creates harmony between aesthetic, function, and emotional resonance. It must speak quietly but convincingly, revealing thought rather than shouting style.

A design is ready when all decisions are coherent — when further changes would only weaken the concept. In practice, this moment arrives when the project itself begins to “speak back,” showing that every proportion, light source, and material supports the same idea.

Of course, no design is ever perfect. I often keep mental notes for improvement, but there is a point when the work must be handed over to life. Real users and time will complete it better than any architect could.

I know a design has succeeded not only when it photographs well but when I return months later and feel that the space lives naturally — that people inhabit it comfortably, and that it still reflects the same quiet order I intended.

Among many projects, the one that stands out most for me is the “City Rooftop Residential” interior — a penthouse designed on top of a historical Warsaw building. It received the Bronze A’Design Award in 2024, but more importantly, it embodies everything I value in architecture: continuity, precision, and emotional resonance.

The challenge was to harmonize the 19th-century structure with a fully contemporary lifestyle, integrating advanced lighting and smart-home systems while preserving the spirit of the original architecture. I designed it as a living dialogue between heritage and innovation, between silence and light.

It became my most significant work because it demanded not only technical mastery but also empathy and restraint. Every decision — from the ceiling geometry to the tone of natural oak — was guided by light and proportion. I consider it my most complete statement about what “modern luxury” means today: timelessness, comfort, and intellectual clarity.

Currently, I am developing another project that excites me deeply — a private residence that incorporates an art collection as a curatorial narrative within the architecture itself. It continues my exploration of how art and space can co-create atmosphere.

I admire designers and architects who combine intellectual depth with a human touch. Among contemporary figures, I respect Peter Zumthor for his profound sensitivity to material and atmosphere, JUhani Pallasmaa for clarity and discipline, and Frank LLoyd Wright for his civic integrity.

If I could meet one designer from the past, it would be Frank LLoyd Wright — his ability to unite architecture, craft, and poetry remains unequalled.

For me, the most iconic architect of all time is Tadao Ando, because he transformed our understanding of how we inhabit space. Yet emotionally, I feel closest to the quiet elegance of Alvar Aalto — his architecture breathes empathy and light.

I also draw inspiration from Polish modernists like Bohdan Pniewski and Marek Budzyński, who taught that architecture is a dialogue with society, not a display of ego.

I live and work in Warsaw, a city of layers — tragic, resilient, and constantly reinventing itself. This cultural complexity shapes my thinking about interiors: every wall in Warsaw hides a story.

Music is part of my creative process; I often design to classical or minimalist music, which helps me maintain rhythm and concentration. Travel, art exhibitions, and historical architecture are my main sources of renewal.

Polish culture, with its tension between memory and progress, strongly influences my design philosophy. I believe good design is not decoration but a civilising force — it teaches people to live more consciously, to notice proportions, textures, and light. In daily life, I introduce small, thoughtful rituals — careful lighting, quiet materials, sustainable solutions — because design should begin with how we inhabit our own homes.

RS Studio Projektowe is built on respect, precision, and continuity. I lead every project personally but work with a trusted network of architects, engineers, artists, and craftsmen. Collaboration is essential, but so is clear authorship; every project must have a consistent voice.

Working with me requires discipline and curiosity — I expect accuracy, but also the courage to propose ideas. When choosing partners or employees, I look for integrity, patience, and a genuine love for detail. Technical skills can be learned, but character cannot.

The core challenge in our profession is balance: between creativity and reality, art and business. A good designer must be simultaneously dreamer and manager. My main responsibility is to translate human needs into spatial harmony and to defend quality at every stage of the process.

The essence of our corporate culture is simple: do it once, do it right, and make it last.

I believe every architect has a responsibility to contribute beyond commercial work. Over the years, I have offered design consultations and mentorship to young architects and students, especially through the Association of Interior Architects (SAW) in Poland, where I have served as vice-president.

I also participate in design juries, public lectures, and exhibitions that promote higher standards of interior design education. Occasionally I take on pro bono advisory projects — for cultural or educational spaces — when I feel that good design can significantly improve public value.

I see humanitarian and educational engagement not as charity, but as continuity: giving back to the community that has shaped me. Supporting young designers and sharing experience is part of my professional ethics — because design, at its best, is a form of cultural stewardship.

Participating in the A’ Design Award has been a rewarding experience. The process itself — preparing submissions, articulating design philosophy, and receiving feedback from an international jury — forces you to reflect critically on your own work.

The three main benefits are:

Global visibility — reaching audiences beyond national boundaries and connecting with other professionals worldwide.

Intellectual growth — presenting a project to a critical panel refines your language and strengthens your design reasoning.

Professional motivation — recognition renews energy, reminding you that quality and persistence matter.

Design competitions are important because they foster dialogue and benchmark excellence. They remind us that design is a collective cultural enterprise, not just an individual pursuit.

Being named Designer of the Day is an honour — a brief but meaningful acknowledgment that one’s work contributes, in some small way, to the wider narrative of contemporary design.

The main principle was to create a luxury rooftop residence that blends contemporary living with panoramic urban experiences. Inspiration came from Warsaw’s cityscape, where rooftops offer unique perspectives of the skyline, sunlight, and historical urban layers. The concept integrates architecture, interior design, and art to transform the space into a multi-dimensional urban retreat.

The focus was on maximizing natural light, open spatial flow, and views of the city, while maintaining functional intimacy for private living. I aimed to achieve a sense of openness without losing warmth, balancing minimalism with luxurious textures, and harmonizing furniture, lighting, and artwork to create a coherent aesthetic.

I intend to document the project as a case study in urban rooftop design and explore applying similar principles to other residential rooftops. The project will serve as inspiration for clients and architects interested in vertical urban living with high design standards.

The concept and planning phase took about five months, followed by three months of detailing, 3D visualization, and custom furniture development. Each stage was carefully calibrated to respect proportions, materials, and lighting conditions.

The project was commissioned by a private client who wanted a rooftop space that combined functionality, aesthetics, and panoramic views. I also saw it as an opportunity to explore innovative ways to integrate art, light, and furniture into compact urban environments.

Custom furniture and millwork were produced in collaboration with Polish artisan workshops. Currently, the design exists as a unique private project. Future plans may involve producing limited-edition furniture pieces inspired by this project, but the residence itself remains private.

I am particularly drawn to urban residential rooftops because they present a rare opportunity to work with natural light, vistas, and vertical spatial dynamics. This type of project allows experimentation with light, proportion, and materiality, creating interiors that are both intimate and expansive.

Yes, inspirations included Peter Zumthor’s atmospheric spaces, Alvar Aalto’s material sensitivity, and mid-century modern furniture designers. Their work informed my approach to human experience, material layering, and proportion within constrained urban spaces.

The target client appreciates sophisticated urban living, cultural experiences, and high-quality craftsmanship. They seek a residence that is not just functional but reflective of lifestyle and personal taste, combining comfort with curated art and furniture.

This design integrates architectural geometry, light, custom furniture, and art into a seamless narrative, transforming a rooftop into a living space that feels expansive, cohesive, and luxurious. The attention to proportion, materiality, and urban dialogue sets it apart from typical rooftop renovations.

The name, City Rooftop Residential, reflects the project’s urban context and functional program. It emphasizes the residence as a unique, elevated private space that interacts directly with the cityscape.

I used AutoCAD and 3ds Max for spatial planning, visualization, and light simulation. Physical mock-ups helped refine furniture scale, ceiling heights, and circulation, ensuring a harmonious balance between digital precision and tactile experience.

The most unique aspect is the integration of panoramic urban views with spatial intimacy. Custom furniture, strategically placed lighting, and multi-level visual axes create a continuous dialogue between interior and exterior, making the rooftop feel like both a private home and an observatory of the city.

I collaborated with local carpenters, millworkers, and lighting specialists, who executed custom furniture, lighting installations, and built-in architectural elements. Technical expertise was essential to achieve precise alignment, structural safety, and aesthetic harmony.

Technology allowed for accurate light simulation, proportion testing, and 3D visualization. CAD and rendering software ensured the interplay of materials, furniture, and views was fully tested before execution, minimizing errors and preserving design intent.

Yes, research included solar path studies, wind load considerations, and structural analysis of the rooftop. I also conducted ergonomic studies and observed human movement patterns to ensure furniture, circulation, and space usage were intuitive and comfortable.

Challenges included roof load limitations, irregular spatial geometry, and integrating panoramic views without compromising privacy. Balancing scale, furniture placement, and lighting to harmonize with structural constraints required multiple iterations and close collaboration with engineers and craftsmen.

The project represents a unique urban intervention that blends art, architecture, and interior design. The A’ Design Award was the ideal platform to showcase this innovative approach internationally, highlighting the possibilities of rooftop residential living in dense cities.

I refined my skills in maximizing spatial experience in constrained urban sites, integrating natural light and urban views into interior planning, and blending custom furniture, lighting, and art into cohesive narratives. The project strengthened my approach to human-centered urban luxury interiors.

This project demonstrates that even compact urban rooftops can be transformed into luxurious, functional, and emotionally resonant living spaces. Every design choice — from ceiling geometry to furniture scale and lighting design — was intended to create a continuous dialogue between architecture, art, and city life, offering residents a living experience that is both private and elevated above the urban bustle.

The main principle was to create a dialogue between socialist realist architecture and contemporary interior living, respecting the historical identity of the building while introducing modern comfort. Inspiration came from Warsaw’s Marszałkowska Residential District (MDM) and its 1940s–50s monumental yet classically detailed buildings. I sought to reinterpret these elements through subtle Art Déco references, balancing nostalgia, function, and elegance.

The focus was spatial clarity, proportion, and human comfort. I aimed to transform a post-war apartment, originally cramped and rigid, into a flowing, functional home while preserving its architectural essence. Key interventions included expanding the bathroom and bedroom, reducing the oversized kitchen, and designing custom furniture that resonated with the building’s era.

This project serves as a reference for future interventions in socialist-era residential buildings. I plan to document the process in professional publications and continue exploring historical reinterpretation in private interiors, blending heritage with modern living.

The concept and planning took approximately six months, followed by another three months of detailing, custom furniture design, and lighting integration. Every stage required iterative adjustments to achieve both historical sensitivity and contemporary comfort.

The project was commissioned by Monika, a client who fell in love with the MDM location. She desired a balance between historical charm and functional modernity. The concept emerged as a collaborative inspiration, merging her appreciation for mid-century aesthetics with my expertise in spatial and historical reinterpretation.

All custom furniture and millwork were produced by specialized Polish workshops.

The type of work arises from my interest in cultural reinterpretation of historical interiors. Socialist-era apartments are often undervalued, yet they offer unique structural and spatial qualities. I wanted to celebrate this heritage, combining it with Art Déco elegance and practical living solutions.

s, the interiors reference Jindrich Halabala’s Czech Modernism, and the aesthetic dialogue between Tamara Łempicka’s Art Déco and social realist architecture informed the composition. Polish and international mid-century furniture designers inspired the balance of proportion, function, and materiality.

The target client appreciates historical narratives, bespoke craftsmanship, and refined functional spaces. They value culture, art, and nuanced living rather than superficial luxury. In this case, the client is a professional (lawyer) who needed a home that harmonized with her lifestyle and the apartment’s social-historic context.

It is unique in its sensitive fusion of socialist architecture with contemporary Art Déco interiors, combining spatial rationalization, custom millwork, and curated artwork. Unlike typical renovations, every detail — from light placement to door gaskets, from balcony views to ceiling moldings — was meticulously considered.

The name, Socialist Apartment Residential House, emphasizes the cultural and historical layer of the MDM building. It signals that the design is both a restoration of spatial dignity and a contemporary interior that honors mid-century social and architectural values.

I relied on AutoCADand 3ds Max for spatial planning, renderings, and furniture layouts. Physical mock-ups and scale models were used to validate proportions, light interaction, and circulation. Computer simulations were particularly important for tile placement, ceiling moldings, and lighting harmonization.

The most unique aspect is the integration of socialist architectural heritage with modern functional interiors, using Art Déco-inspired custom furniture, vertical spatial compositions, and precise lighting to elevate the experience. The dual-access bathroom, bespoke millwork, and lighting design exemplify this meticulous balance.

The project required skilled carpenters, metalworkers, and lighting engineers.

Technology was essential for visualizing spatial arrangements, simulating light, and coordinating bespoke furniture dimensions. CAD and rendering tools ensured precise placement, harmonious proportions, and functional alignment with the existing architecture.

Yes, I conducted historical research on socialist-era apartments, mid-century furniture, and Art Déco design principles. Acoustic studies, natural light assessment, and ergonomics informed functional and aesthetic decisions. This analytical approach ensured that each intervention was both historically respectful and practically effective.

Challenges included low ceiling heights, spatial constraints, and the need to integrate modern utilities without compromising the historical character. Achieving symmetry, proportion, and visual flow while accommodating client needs required iterative refinements and precise craftsmanship.

The project represents a rare and culturally significant reinterpretation of socialist-era interiors, combining heritage, craft, and contemporary functionality. The A’ Design Award was an ideal platform to showcase this cross-cultural architectural dialogue to an international audience.

I deepened my understanding of how to reinterpret historical spaces without erasing their character. The project honed my skills in proportion, lighting, and furniture integration, particularly in adapting mid-century and socialist realist motifs to modern interiors.

The project demonstrates that even buildings with complex historical and ideological backgrounds can be transformed into functional, beautiful, and emotionally resonant homes. Every decision — from the placement of Tamara Łempicka serigraphs to subtle ceiling moldings — was guided by a desire to create living spaces that honor history while serving contemporary life. This design exemplifies how architecture can be both narrative and experiential, bridging eras through careful, thoughtful intervention.

I am Roland Stańczyk, architect and founder of RS Studio Projektowe. I graduated from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology, with a scholarship period at the University of Detroit, which exposed me to international architectural practices early on. Over 26 years of professional practice, I have focused primarily on luxury residential interiors, but also designed public spaces such as offices, spas, and curated cultural interiors. My work bridges architectural heritage, contemporary design, and the integration of art, light, and human experience.

I design because I am fascinated by how space shapes life — how proportions, light, and materials influence mood, behavior, and memory. Architecture and interior design are, for me, the ultimate instruments to translate ideas and emotion into reality. My motivation originates from both intellectual curiosity and an internal desire to create spaces that are simultaneously functional, aesthetically coherent, and culturally meaningful.

I chose this path deliberately. Early exposure to visual media — animation, set design, and advertising — awakened my interest in the interplay between narrative and space. Architecture felt like a natural extension of that curiosity, allowing me to combine storytelling, craft, and technical problem-solving. There was no external pressure; it was an internal calling.

I primarily design luxury residential interiors, often integrating curated art collections, lighting studies, and historical references. I also design select public interiors and small-scale cultural spaces. Going forward, I wish to explore residential projects that serve as living museums — spaces where architecture, furniture, and art form an inseparable dialogue.

Young designers must master the foundations — history, craft, materiality — before chasing trends. Observe, sketch, travel, and study human behavior. Avoid shortcuts, and cultivate patience. Learn to listen to clients and craftsmen. Above all, maintain integrity: your reputation will outlast any award or publication.

A good designer creates aesthetically pleasing spaces; a great designer creates spaces that resonate emotionally and culturally, integrating function, craft, history, and innovation. Great designers also navigate complexity, coordinate multidisciplinary teams, and understand that architecture must serve people, not ego.

A good design is coherent, functional, and aesthetically balanced. A great design goes further: it feels inevitable, as though every choice — light, material, proportion — is unavoidable. I evaluate a project by observing how it interacts with inhabitants and space over time, whether it endures visually and functionally, and whether it tells a subtle story without forcing attention.

Good design elevates daily life, fosters clarity of thought, and nurtures emotional well-being. It is an investment in quality of experience, not merely decoration. Spaces designed thoughtfully improve comfort, longevity, and cultural literacy — they shape the way people move, interact, and remember.

If time were unlimited, I would design a residential space that doubles as a small museum or gallery, integrating art collections, architecture, and lighting research seamlessly. I would do this for clients who value culture, craftsmanship, and intellectual depth, people who understand that living space is an extension of identity.

My dream project is a cultural house in Poland, where art, history, and architecture coexist. It would explore social realist motifs reinterpreted for contemporary life, integrating light, craft, and narrative into a living environment — a space that educates and inspires without sacrificing domestic intimacy.

Patience, rigor, and empathy form the core of my method. My “secret ingredient” is respect for context and narrative — understanding the history, materiality, and human experience of every project. This allows even modern interventions to feel timeless and coherent.

I draw inspiration from Peter Zumthor, Pallasmaa, Alvar Aalto, and Walter Gropius. Their work demonstrates a mastery of atmosphere, proportion, and material honesty. I also admire Polish modernists like Bohdan Pniewski and Oskar Hansen, whose approaches to collective space and social realism continue to influence my perspective.

I am drawn to works where light, material, and proportion are inseparable from meaning. Scarpa’s Brion Cemetery, Aalto’s Paimio Sanatorium, and Zumthor’s Therme Vals are exemplary: each demonstrates restraint, attention to detail, and a poetic integration of human experience and architecture.

My “City Rooftop Residential” in Warsaw stands out. Its success lies in harmonizing historical architecture with contemporary living, integrating lighting, furniture, and art into a coherent whole. Every element — ceiling geometry, material palette, and light composition — works in dialogue, creating an interior that is functional, emotionally resonant, and timeless.

The best one is not done yet.

Continuous learning is essential. I improved by studying history, observing craftsmen, travelling, and reading widely. Sketching by hand, visiting sites, and reflecting on completed projects helped me cultivate judgment. The key is a combination of technical mastery, cultural literacy, and sustained curiosity.

I would likely have pursued something that combined visual storytelling with human interaction, perhaps film, set design, or exhibition curation. Architecture was a natural convergence of those passions.

Design is the intentional shaping of space, object, or experience to serve human needs and aspirations. It is both practical and poetic, balancing function with emotion, technology with culture, and individuality with universality.

Mentors at the Warsaw University of Technology, early colleagues in visual media, and my family provided guidance, encouragement, and critique. Their belief in patience, observation, and rigor shaped my career profoundly.

Practical experience, critical observation, and constant experimentation helped. I learned to translate cultural references, including social realist motifs, into contemporary luxury interiors, balancing narrative with materiality and craft.

Early challenges included coordinating complex projects with limited resources, convincing clients of unconventional ideas, and learning to navigate technical realities without compromising aesthetic intent. Patience and persistence were essential.

With clarity and storytelling. Presentation should reflect both concept and execution, showing the intellectual process, material choices, and human experience. Photos, sketches, models, and narratives must communicate intention, not just aesthetics.

I am currently working on a residential-cum-curatorial project, where art and architecture co-create a narrative. Future projects will continue integrating light, craft, and social historic references into interiors that are both luxurious and meaningful.

To create interiors and spaces that endure, teaching people to live more consciously and appreciate culture, without sacrificing comfort or sophistication.

Clients expect consistency, cultural literacy, technical mastery, and emotional resonance. They look for someone who can translate their aspirations into coherent, elegant, and functional environments.

Good design educates, inspires, and structures daily life. It fosters appreciation for proportion, light, and craftsmanship, shaping behavior and culture. Architecture can reflect social values, sustain heritage, and elevate communal and private spaces.

A private Warsaw residence with an integrated art collection, where every room is conceived as both living space and curated exhibition. Light, proportion, and materiality are central to the project, creating a subtle dialogue between architecture and art.

The “City Rooftop Residential” and several public interior commissions stand out. Satisfaction comes from seeing ideas realized in harmony with heritage and human experience, and from observing clients engaging with spaces thoughtfully.

Greater respect for context, craft, and material integrity. I hope emerging designers focus less on superficial trends and more on creating spaces that are culturally meaningful and enduring.

Towards integration of technology and craft, with increased emphasis on sustainability, intelligent lighting, and human-centered design. However, enduring quality and narrative will always distinguish exceptional projects.

Complex projects typically take 12–18 months from concept to execution, depending on scale, client needs, and material or craft considerations. Quality cannot be rushed.

I begin with observation and research — the building, its context, cultural references, and client aspirations. Sketching and light studies follow, mapping human circulation, proportion, and mood before any technical drawings are created.

“Do it once, do it right, make it last.” Every decision must respect craft, human use, and aesthetic coherence.

Design should observe trends but not follow them blindly. Trends fade; quality and atmosphere endure. True design emerges from cultural awareness, craft, and human-centered intent.

Technology is a tool for precision, visualization, and coordination, not a substitute for thought or creativity. CAD, BIM, and renderings assist in realization but cannot replace judgment or cultural sensitivity.

We use AutoCAD and 3ds Max for visualization and coordination, alongside physical models, mock-ups, and material prototypes to test proportions, finishes, and light.

They define mood, scale, and emotional resonance. Light, wood, stone, and textiles create tactile and visual layers, transforming spaces into coherent, human-centered environments.

I wish people would ask: “How does this space make life better? How does it connect with history and art?” That is the essence of meaningful design.

I analyze its intention, context, materiality, and emotional impact. If every element serves a purpose and creates resonance, I know it is successful.

An ideal partner is curious, disciplined, and open to collaboration. I do believe in co-design, but clarity of vision must be maintained — each participant must enhance, not dilute, the concept.

Professors at Warsaw University of Technology, colleagues in early media design, and mentors in architecture deeply influenced my approach, teaching the value of restraint, craft, and narrative.

Rybczyński’s Dom Idei, Stępień’s Wartość luksusu, and Tatarkiewicz’s Filozofia profoundly shaped my understanding of space, culture, and aesthetics.

Through constant observation, site visits, reflection, mentoring younger designers, and practical execution. Learning is continuous; every project is a laboratory.

Carlo Scarpa, for his integration of craft, architecture, and narrative; Alvar Aalto, for his empathy and humanism; or Le Corbusier, for his revolutionary conceptual rigor.

Awards like the A’Design Award Bronze 2024 honor quality and thoughtfulness but do not define my work. Recognition brings responsibility: to maintain standards, educate clients, and inspire younger designers. Fame is never the goal; impact is.

Colors: muted earth tones and natural whites; place: Warsaw rooftops at sunset; food: traditional Polish cuisine with seasonal refinement; season: spring for its clarity of light; object: a well-crafted wood table; brand: those that value quality and craft over hype.

During an early residential project, a client asked workers to build the model of the space in real in two version.

They build the first. later destryed it and build another.

The second one was worse. They have to build firsty again.

A day is great when sketches, discussions, and material tests align with the original concept. Seeing a detail executed exactly as imagined motivates me more than accolades.

Not obvious, but I was always obsessed with observation, model-making, and spatial puzzles, which naturally led to architecture.

Architecture will continue to mediate human life, blending technology, sustainability, and culture. I imagine cities layered like palimpsests, where human values and stories remain legible despite technological transformation.

I believe design is a cultural and humanist act. It is not decoration; it is the shaping of life, memory, and experience. I hope my work inspires respect for heritage, curiosity for craft, and joy in everyday spaces. Luxury, for me, is thoughtfulness, precision, and emotional resonance — and that is what I aim to leave behind.

I am graduated architect. I have finished Warsaw Engineering School, Remodeling surrounding space was always my passion and still is.

From an early age, I was captivated by the way spaces, light, and objects interact with people. Growing up, I spent hours sketching interiors, experimenting with colors and textures, and observing architectural details in both historical and modern buildings. My formal education in architecture gave me the technical foundation, but it was my passion for human-centered design and aesthetic storytelling that made me pursue this career. Becoming a designer felt natural - it wasn’t a choice forced upon me; it was the only path where I could combine creativity, technical skills, and a love for shaping human experiences.

I’m designing personally. My company was founded 25 years ago. My studio is a space where architecture, interior design, and art converge. We specialize in luxury residential interiors, urban rooftop spaces, and culturally resonant projects that balance heritage and modernity. Our philosophy emphasizes craftsmanship, light, proportion, and narrative in every design. Collaboration with skilled artisans and technical experts is central, allowing each project to harmoniously blend aesthetic refinement with functional precision.

Esthetic way of looking at surrounding space. Inner needs of making visual order.

Design, for me, is an intersection of functionality, emotion, and storytelling. It’s about creating experiences, not just objects or spaces. A well-designed space or product communicates subtly with its user, evokes feeling, and improves life quality. Design is a language, and I see myself as both author and interpreter of that language.

I particularly enjoy designing residential spaces and intimate urban interiors, where I can play with light, materiality, and human perception. I also find furniture and bespoke installations fascinating, especially when they respond to the architecture and the personality of the client. Projects that challenge the relationship between space, function, and emotion are the ones I love most.

It’s still in front of me...

One of my favorite projects is the City Rooftop Residential. It embodies my design ethos: panoramic urban views, carefully curated furniture, and intimate spaces integrated with light and material. The project required balancing structural constraints, cityscape exposure, and interior harmony, ultimately producing a space that feels expansive, private, and emotionally resonant. Every detail, from furniture scale to lighting, was carefully orchestrated, making it a personal favorite.

My first small 27 square meter home. My first professional project was a residential interior renovation, where I was responsible for the full design concept, including furniture and lighting. It was a defining moment because it taught me how practical constraints and aspirations can be transformed into a coherent design narrative.

I am drawn to natural materials such as wood, stone, and metals, combined with high-precision digital tools like AutoCAD and 3ds Max for planning and visualization. Technology allows me to simulate light, proportions, and ergonomics, while craftsmanship ensures tactile quality and longevity.

Creativity peaks when I am immersed in observation and experimentation; walking through cities, analyzing historical architecture, sketching ideas, or interacting with materials in a workshop. I often find inspiration late at night or in quiet studio moments, when concepts can emerge freely without external pressures.

I focus primarily on human experience, spatial proportion, light quality, and materiality. A space can be beautiful, but if it feels uncomfortable or disconnected from its context, it fails. I always consider flow, scale, and emotional resonance before anything else.

Designing brings a mix of excitement, curiosity, and focus. The initial conceptual phase is thrilling, full of possibilities. As the project evolves, there is satisfaction in problem-solving and achieving harmony. Ultimately, designing is joyful and deeply fulfilling, because it transforms ideas into tangible experiences.

Seeing a project realized is an intense mixture of pride, relief, and wonder. Watching clients interact with a space exactly as envisione and sometimes discovering new interactions that I hadn’t anticipated—is incredibly rewarding. It’s the moment when vision becomes lived reality.

A design succeeds when it serves its users seamlessly, communicates its concept clearly, and evokes emotion. Functionality, aesthetics, and experience must be perfectly balanced. A successful design also respects context: cultural, historical, or urban - while elevating everyday life.

I first consider how the design feels in use, then the proportion, light, and material interplay. Practicality and beauty must coexist. Finally, I look at cohesion and narrative - whether every element contributes meaningfully to the whole experience.

It is very important question, but we are not on first front line. Industry and politics are!

Designers have a responsibility to improve life quality and respect environmental limits. This includes sustainable material choices, minimizing waste, and creating spaces that encourage well-being and social interaction. Designers also preserve cultural heritage while innovating, ensuring our work contributes positively to society over time.

AI

Design is increasingly interdisciplinary, blending architecture, technology, psychology, and sustainability. Future design will focus more on human centered experiences, adaptable spaces, and smart integration with technology. Designers will become curators of emotions and experiences, not just objects.

Majority of my work was visited only by users. But I have also many opportunities to present my designs. Last were in Wroclaw and Como. My last exhibition was in Warsaw, showcasing urban residential interiors and rooftop concepts. I would like to have my next exhibition somewhere in Europe or US, exploring the intersection of historical architecture and contemporary residential design, highlighting craft and digital integration.

Nature and history. Travelling. Inspiration comes from cityscapes, historical architecture, art, and human behavior. I also draw from literature, photography, and music, which shape the narrative of spaces. Traveling, observing light, and interacting with materials continually feed my creativity.

For the last 20 years, I have been designing interiors of residences, apartments and public utility buildings in Poland, and for the last 5 years, also in United States and Great Britain. As a result of my work, many older buildings had been thoroughly renovated and regained their past greatness.

I was born in Warsaw. I remember the city from 80s. There were still a lot ruined buildings from WW2. 80-90 % of old substance was destroyed. I think it has an impact for specific character of polish design. It was combined with typical for communism unification.

My style is litlebit historical with a human centered, narrative driven approach. I blend clean geometry, material warmth, and artful details. I explore this style because it allows a dialogue between history, function, and contemporary living, creating emotionally resonant, timeless spaces.

I live in Warsaw, Poland, where the juxtaposition of historical and modern architecture profoundly influences my work. Pros include access to rich architectural traditions and skilled artisans. Challenges include adapting heritage buildings to modern lifestyles without compromising historical integrity.

I collaborate closely with companies, defining clear goals, understanding client needs, and balancing innovation with feasibility. I integrate digital design tools, prototyping, and artisanal craftsmanship, ensuring a high-quality final product while respecting budgets and timelines.

For good cooperation you need respect and good communication. Companies should choose designers who understand both aesthetics and functionality, communicate effectively, and are open to collaboration. A good designer listens, respects context, and provides solutions that balance creativity, feasibility, and human experience.

Everything starts in my head. I am thinking abut people and context. Sometimes it takes days,

After that I start sketching. My process begins with observation and research, followed by conceptual sketches, spatial planning, and material exploration. I iterate constantly, using digital modeling and physical mock-ups, until every detail, light, proportion, furniture, and materials is aligned with the vision.

1. Pictures and sculptures

2. Some old furniture

3. Windows

4. Stone floors

5. Space division

They are different. I don’t like sleep to much. Job is my responsibility. Family is first. Sport is also important.

Learn more and more. Whole life. Always observe, experiment, and stay curious. Learn both technical and human-centered aspects of design. Don’t fear mistakes; they are part of growth. Balance creativity with precision, and always consider the emotional impact of your work on users.

It is not only a job. It’s the way of life. Sometimes can be hard, but mostly is so interesting!

Less elements is better than to much. Every element must serve both function and emotion. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t belong.

Observation, spatial understanding, empathy, technical proficiency, and storytelling. The ability to translate concepts into functional, beautiful experiences is essential.

Sketches in the beginning.

My toolbox includes AutoCAD, 3ds Max, V-Ray, Adobe Suite, sketchbooks, architectural models, historical reference books, and city walks for inspiration. Music, photography, and art also feed my design sensibilities.

I am well organized. I break projects into stages: research, concept, design development, and execution, setting realistic deadlines for each. I delegate tasks when possible but maintain creative oversight, ensuring the final outcome aligns with the vision.

Small objects may take weeks, while comprehensive residential or urban projects often take 6–12 months, depending on complexity, detailing, and client requirements. Designing 100 square meters apartment takes at least 3 months.

Where your inspirations come from? How do you balance aesthetic beauty with practical functionality?

This reflects the universal challenge of design: form meeting function in a meaningful way.

I am supervising realization of my designs. It makes my design responsible. Designing the City Rooftop Residential and the Socialist Apartment project were pivotal, as they demanded integration of historical context, urban perspective, and modern residential needs. They refined my skills in storytelling, proportion, and material precision.

Mostly well educated and responsible people. Private collectors, urban professionals, and art enthusiasts seeking residential spaces that merge luxury, comfort, and curated cultural narratives. Many projects are bespoke and highly personalized.

With clients who are involved and claver. I enjoy residential and interior design because it allows me to create emotional experiences, integrate art and architecture, and respond to the personality of clients. Urban rooftops, historical apartments, and intimate interiors are particularly rewarding.

I plan to expand into urban adaptive reuse, rooftop interventions, and experimental furniture design, combining heritage, technology, and craft. I aim to create projects that elevate human experience in dense cities.

Myself. I lead the creative vision, but collaboration with engineers, craftsmen, and artisans is essential. Design is both personal and collective, with the final success depending on interdisciplinary synergy.

I will present it shortly. I am currently working on a series of residential interiors and adaptive reuse projects, exploring how light, proportion, and furniture design can reshape urban living spaces.

+48 602799131

Roland.stanczyk@rsstudio.pl

www.rsstudio.pl

I like my job, it’s important for me. Design is a lifelong dialogue between history, art, architecture, and human experience. Every project is an opportunity to explore light, material, proportion, and emotion, leaving a subtle but enduring imprint on daily life. I believe design should inspire, comfort, and elevate those who interact with it, whether in a private home or an urban rooftop.

I treat the dialogue between old and new as the project’s primary voice: rather than pastiche, I pursued a restrained translation of Polish interwar ornament geometry, stylised foliate friezes and elegant cornice rhythms into contemporary proportions and materials. The trick was to extract the grammar of ornament (scale, rhythm, negative space) and recompose it as modern intervals: recessed panels become acoustic-lined niches, a decorative frieze becomes a thin metal inlay, and geometric motifs are suggested in brass insets rather than carved plaster. This keeps the emotional memory of Warsaw’s interiors while avoiding sentimental replication; the result is a living interior that reads as both familiar and new, respectful of context but calibrated for 21st-century use.

The apartment’s location framed by the city’s layered riverside and its mixture of nineteenth-century façades and newer geometry demanded a design that could hold both civic gravity and domestic intimacy. I studied local cornice heights, window rhythms and the muted palette of riverside masonry, then translated those cues into an interior scale that feels of-a-place: tall sightlines, generous window reveals and a palette that references river-stone, oxidised metals and old varnish. The apartment thus becomes a compact urban belvedere: it paraphrases the river’s muted light and the city’s stratified history while remaining a contemporary retreat for cultural evenings and quiet mornings.

Preserving the interior’s historical temperament required technical discretion. We concealed mechanical systems within bespoke joinery, used slim linear diffusers in vaulted profiles and built service corridors into panelled walls to avoid surface clutter. Early coordination with MEP specialists allowed us to route ductwork behind stone cladding and drop bespoke ceiling soffits only where proportionally necessary. Where active systems had to be visible, their finishes were carefully chosen — matte black grilles, hand-finished brass registers — so they read as crafted details rather than aftermarket additions. This is how I safeguarded authenticity while delivering modern comfort.

Designing the furniture and doors began with archival study: I examined Warsaw flats from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, old joinery patterns, surviving door mouldings and cabinetmakers’ drawings. Visits to workshops and conversations with master carpenters helped me reinterpret techniques (panel profilation, veneering direction, inlay scale) for contemporary joinery tolerances. The contemporary interpretation strips ornament to essential lines, uses modern engineered cores for stability, and applies traditional veneers, hand-rubbed finishes and discrete metal details so each piece reads as new but genealogically correct. The process produced furniture that anchors every room in an intelligible lineage.

Art was never an afterthought; it is the apartment’s second skin. Working with the collectors we identified works by Leszek Nowosielski, Jerzy Mierzejewski and Henryk Musiałowicz and placed them so that light, sightlines and daily choreography amplify their narratives. A bold canvas anchors the lounge, a quieter study hosts figurative work that rewards close reading, and the classical bronze by Tomasz Górnicki punctuates a transitional corridor. The artworks were chosen and sited to create an internal museum of personal taste - each piece converses with the architecture, modulating scale and mood and legitimising the apartment as a cultural pied-à-terre.

Designing for weekend inhabitation shifts priorities: spatial generosity in living and dining, flexible sleeping arrangements, and storerooms that conceal infrequently used belongings. We focused on conviviality - a kitchen and dining zone that can host ten, layered lighting for evening gatherings, and acoustic treatments so guests can talk over music or theatre recordings. At the same time, the bathroom and bedroom suites were conceived as restorative refuges with tactile materials and subtle climate control. The result is a compact program that supports both host-led evenings and solitary mornings immersed in the city’s cultural rhythm.

On a 120 m² footprint every centimetre matters. The plan strategy was to define three spatial archetypes: a public living cluster, a semi-private study/dining zone and a quiet sleeping suite. We used continuous sightlines to make spaces feel larger, carved niches to accommodate storage and custom joinery to avoid furniture clutter. Circulation is efficient: a single ‘spine’ corridor distributes daylight while shifting floor materials and ceiling heights signal programmatic changes. These measured moves allow each area to keep its identity while the whole reads as a single composed interior.

Pairing water-jet precision with artisanal craft created a deliberate contrast: water-jet-cut stone allowed us to realise exquisitely thin inlays, precise thresholds and intricate bathroom basins without compromising structural solidity; meanwhile traditional carpentry brought layered warmth and hand-finished detail. The technological precision informs the plan and interface logic, while the handwork softens and humanises surfaces. Together they create a dialogue where technique is visible but not dominant - a choreography between machine accuracy and the imperfect poetry of craft.

The palette is intentionally restrained: warm, reconstituted stone and soft plaster base layers, oak and ebonised joinery, and calibrated accents of burnished brass and deep oxblood leather. These materials reference the patina of older Warsaw interiors: mellowed stone and dark wood while meeting modern durability and maintenance needs. Finishes are matte to mute reflections and create a sense of age; accents are used sparingly to heighten moments of ceremony — a dining table, so the apartment feels like an edited, lived-in collection rather than a staged exhibit.

Recognition (including the A’ Design Award) validates an approach that privileges cultural continuity over novelty for novelty’s sake. I hope this project shows colleagues and clients that preserving historical cues is compatible with contemporary luxury: with disciplined design, respectful material choices and technical precision we can make interiors that honour place and time while offering modern comfort. The award is an encouragement to pursue future projects where memory and craft meet new technologies, and to advocate for interiors that are both rooted and forward-looking.

Warsaw has lost its architectural substance. It was completely ruined by the Germans in 1944. The buildings built shortly after the war are the ones of the oldest, apart from the few that have been preserved. They are among the most interesting, located in the city center. It is our duty to respect them and adapt them to modern requirements. We can change and adapt the interiors while preserving what is valuable. The exterior must remain unchanged.

were the few, that were designed coherently. They had interiors you did want to stay in. They were supposed to be the showcase of communism. I observed them appreciating the consistency of design. I observed the details. New technological possibilities allowed me to recreate them craftsmanship and implement them in the designed interior.

The challenge was to replace the windows with triple-glazed, soundproof ones with increased thermal insulation.It was also difficult to hide the central heating riser running almost in the middle of the newly designed bathroom in the shower cabin pillar.It was also necessary to replace the floor layers and remove the falling plaster.The electrical installation has been completely replaced.

The new designed furniture refers to the facade details, as well as to the solutions used in other buildings built at that time (e.g. the Joseph Stalin Palace of Culture).The restored art deco furniture was still produced during the construction of the socialist residential district. Unfortunately, they were usually less interesting than those performed before the war. This was the reason that I decided to find historical examples and have them renovated by a friendly company

The apartment had a difficult layout. It required many architectural repairs. Nevertheless, it was designed as a city apartment for people with a large house in the suburbs of the capital. 65 square meters is enough for a spacious living room, a comfortable bedroom, a small kitchen and a bathroom.An interesting idea that significantly improved functionality was adding a second entrance to the bathroom directly from the bedroom.

I'm interested in art. My greatest passion is Polish 20th century painting. My client and I were looking for paintings by artists whose art dealt with the Polish post-war realities. The apartment contains paintings created during the construction of socialist housing estates, dating back to the 1950s. There is also a serigraphy by Tamara Łempicka, which goes well with Art Deco antiques.

Richly designed stone floors refer to the pre-war bourgeois tradition. Then each element was cut and fitted by hand. Having computer-controlled tools at our disposal: profiling and water jet machines, we can admire the skills of old stonemason masters.I must add that such sophisticated floors appear in these houses only in modern times. The post-war reality was very modest.

Activities in historic buildings are regulated by law in Poland. We must respect our remaining historical heritage.Each architect can individually design interiors in historic buildings, as long as his actions do not contradict the guidelines of the Polish Institution for the Conservator of Monuments.I chose this path in this particular case. Let everyone look for their own.

I like my Warsaw, and this part of it especially. I've been going there most of my life. I lived nearby, so I walked to the University of Technology more often than I commuted. (I live in the suburbs now).I got very emotionally involved when designing these interiors.And the Faculty of Architecture shaped me.Just as I was shaped by the most interesting socialist realist interiors. On the one hand, they were associated with the lack of the beloved freedom, on the other hand, they were the most beautiful, generally available spaces in the city.

There is no contradiction here. The apartment is not a cultural destination, but what Warsaw - the capital of Poland - offers. This place is located in the heart of the bustling city. From here everything is close. From the windows we can see one of the most important streets in Warsaw.The apartment is a fully equipped, comfortable home. For many people, books, art and design are essential elements of comfort.