Turning a literal mountain of rubble into a place of remembrance and relaxation is no small feat, especially one that had already been there since the late 40s. The architects and designers commemorating the 1944 Warsaw Uprising have used the historical remains of the city's tragic past to create a unique and unconventional landscape working on a site that had an existing park and Polish Underground Army statue.

Twenty-two million cubic meters of rubble have been transformed into meandering paths, with larger architectural pieces displayed as a lapidarium. The entire area is wheelchair accessible, and a viewing platform at the top of the mound offers stunning views of Warsaw. This project has received three international awards so far and is set to become an icon of Polish greenspace design.

The LILA Award is given to outstanding designs in the field of landscape architecture, and the Warsaw Uprising Mound Park was recognized for the sensitive use of the objects trouvés—discovered objects of great beauty.

Viewing Platform Lake Słupeckie by Paweł Grobelny
DNA Paris Design Award 2024

Right to the east of Poznań, in the center of an artificial lake, lie the remains of an early medieval fort, now a breeding place for many protected species of birds. With that in mind, architect Paweł Grobelny created a viewing platform that allows visitors to admire nature without disturbing the habitat of the local birds. The platform forms a part of a wider redevelopment of the Słupeckie Lake shoreline with two piers, a heated swimming pool and a boule playing area all designed by Grobelny using his signature concentric forms. The overall effect is minimalistic but elegant, allowing for closeness to the environment without undue interference.

Paweł Grobelny’s project won the main award in the landscape design category for keeping the project “in harmony with nature” and was commended for combining his vision with respect for the natural environment and the history of the site.

Warsaw’s Pole Mokotowskie Park by WXCA
Mayor of the City of Warsaw Award First Prize 2023

Pole Mokotowskie is a true Warsaw gem, cherished by students, pensioners, and mothers with prams, though often overlooked by all but the most intrepid explorers of Poland’s capital. That’s about to change, as the park has undergone a radical facelift—16,000 square meters of concrete were removed from around the central pond to make way for reeds, wooden walkways, and natural water filtration systems. All construction rubble was repurposed to create mini-landscape features, a much-welcomed addition on the flat Mazovian plain. After this extensive transformation, Pole Mokotowskie is sure to attract more visitors, including those from abroad.

Though not an internationally recognized award, the Mayor of Warsaw awarded first prize in a competition to WXCA for supporting the biodiversity of the site and “cultivation in shaping of the park’s whole environment”.

Park in Starachowice by eM4
Design Educates Awards 2023

On a once dilapidated site near the Świętokrzyskie Mountains lies a brand-new park where designers have transformed the industrial history of Starachowice into a source of civic pride. Metal mining and smelting, which have been linked to the region since the 18th century, served as key inspirations for the park's design. Paths made from local iron-rich gravel wind through meadows and brooks, all set in a lush green valley. Starachowice Park reminds visitors how nature can coexist with local heritage.

Design Educates Awards main goal is to recognize the way in which architecture can offer educational value, along with the functionality and beauty of the designs. The Park in Starachowice was commended for answering the “call of the site,” which the designers heard and wanted the public to hear too.

Plac Pięciu Rogów, Warsaw by WXCA
Human Scale Design Competition, 2023

The pandemic has inspired many changes in Warsaw’s landscape. Where cars and parking lots ruled supreme, new small-scale urban green spaces are now emerging, signaling the return of trees and the retreat of concrete. A prime example of this trend is Plac Pięciu Rogów (Five Corners), a small square right in the center of Warsaw. Visitors can now relax under one of 22 newly planted maple trees or cool off by the fountain, which is designed to be level with the ground, allowing easy access for anyone who wants to splash around. For art lovers, there's a whimsical sculpture of a two-meter blue thrush egg that emits the sounds of a hatching chick. While some critics argue that the design still relies too heavily on concrete, architects from the WXCA studio defend it as a modern heat-reflecting material suited to the challenges of climate change.

The Human Scale Design Competition was created by Polish daily newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza. The jury wanted to recognize a project which stirred a lot of controversy for putting the needs of pedestrians over the needs of the drivers in the city.

Japanese Garden in the Silesian Park in Chorzów by Acanthus Studio Architektury Krajobrazu
Polish Architecture XXL 2022

Those wishing to admire cherry blossoms in a Tsukiyama-style garden don’t need to travel to Japan—they can visit Park Śląski (Silesian Park) in Chorzów, spanning 6,000 hectares. Originally designed in the 1950s, the Chorzów Japanese Garden wasn’t fully realized until its recent modernization, funded by the EU. In its current form, the garden isn’t a literal replica but rather a modern reimagining of a Zen garden, where water, stone, and greenery coexist in harmony. The park’s main attraction is its multi-level water feature, complete with a waterfall, a glass viewing terrace, and a winding stream framed by architectural elements that create the illusion of floating above the ground.

Over three thousand votes were cast to choose a leading Polish design in 2022, and the Japanese Garden won in the landscape design category for the way it merges “iron, water and flowers” harmoniously together.

Beaver Natural Enclave by 55 Architekci
EUMies Award 2022

Stary Sącz Beaver Natural Enclave is located at the confluence of two mountain rivers, the Dunajec and Poprad, near Poland's southern border, in a former gravel pit that has been returned to the wild. It features two long wooden walkways that meander through the swampy thicket, both of which are pram and wheelchair accessible. At the end of each pier are two lookouts that blend thoroughly modern design with the site’s natural habitat. Made from untreated wood, these structures give visitors a chance to observe local protected bird species, such as black swans, ravens, kestrels, and red kites, as well as snap a photo of the star of all Polish memes—the beaver in its natural habitat.

The project was praised by the EUMies Awards for understanding and remedying the existing “scarcity of public places in suburban areas, available to residents and visitors, walkers, people less abled and disabled”.