Braniborska 58–68 / Paulina Czurak-Czapiewska

Architects: Paulina Czurak-Czapiewska and team
Year: 2025
Photography: Iga Grudzień
Lead Architects: Paulina Czurak-Czapiewska
Contractor: Dekpol Developer
Materials: Brick, steel, high-insulation façade materials
Client: Vantage Development S.A. (Vantage Rent)
City: Wrocław
Country: Poland

Braniborska 58–68 in Wrocław is a residential development shaped by a deliberate dialogue between historical reference and contemporary urban living. Designed by architect Paulina Czurak-Czapiewska, the project reflects the layered character of the city’s Szczepin district, where industrial and railway architecture once defined the streetscape. The building draws on this past while adapting its architectural language to modern expectations for comfort, sustainability, and civic presence. The development incorporates energy-saving technologies, including photovoltaic systems and green roofs that enhance insulation and water retention, alongside anti-smog paving and rainwater reuse solutions that support environmental stewardship. Retail units on the ground floor contribute to the revitalization of the surrounding area, while thoughtfully planned common spaces and circulation areas strengthen the building’s residential identity. Recognized with the national title “Investment of the Year 2025” in the category Residential Buildings – New Construction, the project stands as an example of how contextual design and ecological responsibility can reinforce one another within a dense and evolving urban fabric.

Braniborska 58–68 / paulina czurak-czapiewska

The design of Braniborska 58–68 grows from a deep engagement with the architectural memory of Szczepin, a district shaped by the industrial surge that transformed Wrocław in the nineteenth century. Rather than treating the site’s past as a static backdrop, Paulina Czurak-Czapiewska approached it as an active element of the project’s identity, using archival research to establish a contemporary continuation of the area’s architectural language. This perspective allowed the new building to respond to its setting not through replication but through an interpretive articulation of scale, material, and rhythm.

Historic records of an 1867 brick tenement once occupying the site played a central role in shaping the composition. The former building’s proportions, window groupings, and structural character informed the façade’s organization, enabling the architects to reintroduce the cadence that once defined the street’s frontage. Brick arcades and steel accents acknowledge the nearby railway heritage and the industrial presence that long marked this part of the city. In doing so, the design positions the project within a lineage of local construction traditions while giving it a distinctly contemporary expression.

Material choices reinforce this continuity. Brick and steel establish a tactile connection to the neighborhood’s older fabric, while refined detailing expresses a modern sensibility. The differentiation of the ground floor from the upper storeys maintains the hierarchical clarity characteristic of Wrocław’s historic tenements. The resulting massing aligns with adjacent buildings, respecting the street’s scale and contributing to the coherence of Braniborska Street.

Environmental performance was treated as an intrinsic component of the architectural concept. Photovoltaic panels supply power to shared spaces, reducing reliance on conventional energy sources. Green roofs contribute to insulation and water retention, working alongside retention tanks that store rainwater for landscape irrigation. Anti-smog pavements and high-insulation materials address air quality and thermal efficiency, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability that extends beyond regulatory compliance.

Internally, the building is organized to support contemporary residential living. Two underground parking levels and nine residential floors accommodate 388 apartments, while the integration of bicycle storage and supplementary storage areas responds to changing patterns of mobility and everyday use. Retail units lining the street level reinforce an active public realm, encouraging pedestrian activity and contributing to broader neighborhood renewal. Generous entrance halls and shared leisure areas provide an elevated yet accessible atmosphere, reinforcing the project’s emphasis on comfort and community.

Braniborska 58–68 reflects a vision in which historic resonance and environmental responsibility coexist within the same architectural framework. Its recognition as “Investment of the Year 2025” underscores the value of an approach that embraces context and forward-looking design in equal measure. The project adds a new chapter to Wrocław’s evolving architectural narrative, offering a contemporary expression informed by the city’s layered past and directed toward its sustainable future.