The project to reconstruct the former Wrzos Cinema into the new headquarters of our theater took first place in the Salon of Architecture 2024 competition. Also on the podium were the projects for the Park&Ride space with a cultural trail leading to the Market Square in Stary Sącz, as well as the Kamień Pavilion and clearing in Golędzinów, Warsaw.
The authors of the project are: Aleksander Janicki, Mariusz Twardowski, Agnieszka Żabicka, Mariusz Pers, Wojciech Wokan, and Barbara Leśniak.
As the creators of the project describe: Before crossing the building’s threshold, the audience can already seek the spirit of the theater from the street, looking through the large windows of the front façade at the foyer and the grand staircase. The front façade of the Wrzos Cinema, which was renovated in the 1970s, has been rebuilt using the preserved fabric. A black, concrete rectangular volume has been placed a little further back, housing the stage and the audience. Its geometric form stands in some opposition to the neobaroque 19th-century façade.
This year’s competition, organized by the Krakow branch of the Association of Polish Architects and the Małopolska Chamber of Architects, received 29 submissions. Among them were projects such as the revitalization of Zakrzówek Park, a family house by architect Niewodniczański, the Emaus House, and the residential complex „Klimaty” on Karabuły Street.
This is not the only award that the new headquarters of Teatr KTO has received. It was also honored in the industry competition „Modernization of the Year & Construction of the 21st Century,” winning the title of Modernization of the Year 2021 in the „Memory of Historical Places” category.
We are excited to welcome you to our new, award-winning theater headquarters!
