Rzeszow

Tradition in the modern world is the leitmotiv of the work developed in this project. The ceramic courtyard owes its name to the traditional ceramic craft fair of the local craftsmen. This tradition is today only a memory. Through this project we want to bring this valuable heritage back to life for the region and the city.

The composition of the building is due to the urbanisation of the central area. Following the alignment of the surrounding streets we obtain a building with a compact form, which is cut from the outside with sharp lines but not on the inside, thus fully respecting The Ceramic Courtyard, and a large new public space at the heart of the proposed building. This new Courtyard called "The Ceramic Courtyard" has a rounded shape and a conical cut that opposes the external geometry of the streets. This courtyard emerged from a "potter's wheel" seeks connections with the world of craft tradition, providing good ventilation and lighting functions.
The process of creating ceramics influenced the decision on the shape of the building's exterior and interior, thanks to the possibility of cutting, carving and moulding the piece on the potter's wheel. This gave rise to the idea of working with clay. We were looking for a building carved in the ground with a big surprise inside.
The ceramic courtyard is considered a public place. It will be fully pedestrianised and directly connected to the Old Market. Taking into account the flow of people in the Market Square, the main entrance of the courtyard is designed as a powerful open door, inviting passers-by to enter.
The proposed building has seven storeys above ground and three below ground. Its programme consists of commercial areas in the basement and ground floor, hotel along the first three floors and housing and social club with a restaurant for the rest of them.