East Design Days 2025 became a space for meetings of different generations, experiences and approaches to design. The lectures showed how tradition meets the future in spatial design, education and everyday creative work. The workshops, which connect generations – from traditional crafts to modern forms of expression – gave participants an opportunity for the practical exchange of knowledge.
The block “From student to master” presented the professional paths of graduates of the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology – from local studios to projects in the largest cities of Europe.
– I graduated in 2005 and, like most young architects, I was wondering where I could start working. In December 2005 I was already in Denmark – says architect Jakub Lewkowicz, a graduate of the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology, Vice President of the Management Board of the K+A studio (Kuryłowicz & Associates). – Shortly afterwards, the idea of opening a Polish architectural studio emerged. We had investors interested in building in Poland, although the cooperation was at times demanding. These experiences taught me perseverance, consistency and the fact that in an architect’s work the most difficult challenges can be the most motivating.
Education at the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology is a foundation for building a career in Poland and abroad.
– Studying at the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology was a key stage of my professional path. It was here that I felt the freedom of creative work and only during my studies did I understand that architecture is my life path – recalls architect Wojciech Popławski, co-founder of the OP ARCHITEKTEN studio, with offices in Warsaw, Vienna and Kraków. – When I started my studies, I was not yet fully convinced, but the opportunity to go abroad, difficult at the time, though possible, opened my eyes to how broad this profession is and how many different perspectives on architecture one can encounter.
Graduates of the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology have a particular approach to ideas and creative responsibility.
– I stayed in Białystok and I feel that thanks to this I can speak about its identity in a slightly broader way. This place is very specific, and at the same time deeply rooted in the region – says Justyna Zalewska – Grycuk, PhD, Eng., Arch. from the Department of Architectural Design and History of Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology, owner of the ARCHITEKTON architectural studio. – This influences not only the way we design here, but also how young creators are shaped.
One of the speakers whose lecture was listened to with exceptional attention by both students and already qualified architects was Maja Ganszyniec, who thinks about design in a comprehensive way.
– Timeless design makes sense. In mass production, we approach trends cautiously, because they tend to pass quickly, while the scale is enormous – says Maja Ganszyniec, founder and co-owner of the independent furniture brand NURT. – The greater the number of products, the greater the need to design with longevity in mind.
An important part of learning and art is the ability to reach for one’s roots, for the traditions of the region. This is the quintessence of studying at the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology.
– Studies with us are a tradition rooted in the multiculturalism of Podlasie, which we want to cultivate, develop and teach young people how to appreciate and creatively continue in a contemporary form – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Tatiana Misijuk, DSc, PhD, Eng., Arch., Dean of the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology.
The programme of East Design Days included design workshops, workshops in design, and even comic drawing or tattoo design. There were also panel discussions that combined the perspectives of students, academic teachers and practitioners.
– East Design Days have become a permanent part of the city landscape. This is the eighth undertaking without precedent, because it combines a theoretical, practical and visionary dimension, going beyond the rigid framework of architecture – notes Tomasz Klim, Deputy President of the City of Białystok. – It is worth supporting such initiatives, because everyone can find a space for themselves here. East Design Days create such a place for all those interested in creativity, design and broadly understood architecture.
The programme diversity of this year’s East Design Days was complemented by activities addressed to students, designers, architects and art enthusiasts. Students and staff of the Aleksander Zelwerowicz National Academy of Dramatic Art in Białystok and the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology prepared a performance / etude entitled “impAKT”. At the Alfons Karny Museum in Białystok, until 1 February 2026, visitors can see the exhibition “The Magic of Light” by Prof. Janusz Debis, DSc, PhD, a retired professor of the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology, as well as “Light”, an exhibition of works by the Faculty’s staff.
The 50th anniversary of the Faculty, celebrated during the 8th East Design Days, recalled the history and traditions that provide foundations for subsequent generations of designers.
– This year, East Design Days complement the jubilee celebrations by presenting modern trends in design combined with local traditions – emphasises Assoc. Prof. Marta Kosior – Kazberuk, DSc, PhD, Eng., Rector of Bialystok University of Technology.
This year’s East Design Days combined education, practice and a vision of the future of design, showing that the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology is a place that shapes both local and European architectural communities.
East Design Days are the only space in north-eastern Poland for presenting significant creators, projects and achievements emerging at the intersection of architecture, interior architecture, design, graphics and modern technologies. The organiser is the Faculty of Architecture of Bialystok University of Technology in cooperation with leading companies and institutions from the Podlaskie region.
Katarzyna Kozioł
The partner of East Design Days was the City of Białystok
The strategic partner of East Design Days was the Podlaskie Voivodeship
