In 2022, our studio's focus was on projects for the coastal district of Świnoujście. The theme of the studio was 'Space of Cyclical Change: Between Junkspace and Nature'. We explored the expansion of commercial 'junkspace' architecture, which is engulfing cities and nature at an increasing rate — a phenomenon that is visible in almost all attractive locations, whether in the mountains, on the coast or in historic city centres.

During the previous semester, we expanded the concept of 'Learning from Świnoujście' to encompass the theme 'Between Infrastructure and Nature'. Our focus was on the north-eastern part of the Uznam zone of the city, specifically the North Basin marina and the surrounding areas extending north to the western breakwater where the Świna River flows into the Baltic Sea.

The students approached a wide variety of topics with great commitment, trying to view the city's space and architecture, its relationship with extensive maritime infrastructure, and the increasingly threatened nature from new and unconventional perspectives, as well as examining Świnoujście from a social perspective.

With considerable support from the Maritime Office, bachelor's degree students have developed designs for a new western breakwater – a de facto symbol of the city. Due to its technical deterioration, this section will have to be rebuilt in the coming years. Anticipating the inevitable, we would like to open a public discussion on this topic now. In our opinion, the radicalism of some of the proposals may help us all to open up to a completely different, innovative vision of this place.

The same applies to the Northern Basin and the entire area of the city, which poses a great urban and architectural challenge, requiring a broad public debate. As in the case of the breakwater and the ‘windmill’, here too, with sufficient sensitivity, courage and imagination, the future can be wonderful, but without them, without open discussion, it can also be tragic.

There was also one proposal for a new solution to the city’s transportation problem, which year after year has become a par excellence example of the city being “killed” by individual car traffic. We watch with complete astonishment the city’s policies in this regard, repeating mistakes of past decades known to almost all urban planners worldwide, which solve nothing and only exacerbate the problem.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to Mrs Janina Rozwałkowa, architect Paweł Wachnicki and the employees of the Maritime Office in Szczecin: Director Wojciech Zdanowicz, Head Jacek Zawadzki, Ms Aleksandra Miklas, Mr Zbigniew Nowak, as well as the exhibition host, Mr Andrzej Pawelczyk, for all their help and support.

We invite all interested parties to the opening of the exhibition and public discussion. We invite not only residents, but also decision-makers: politicians, urban planners, architects, urban and maritime infrastructure managers, journalists, people of culture and education.