The Laboratory of Regions is a research and educational initiative by the National Institute of Architecture and Urbanism (NIAiU), in collaboration with Polish and international academic institutions.

Its goal is to explore the narratives, processes, and relationships that shape local architectural identities and to define the architectural codes that historically and presently influence Poland’s spatial culture, or “archiculture.”

The project focuses on small towns, typically with populations up to 35,000, as sites through which concepts like “integrity,” “authenticity,” and “belonging” are defined. The laboratory examines the notion of “boundary” as a dynamic process where spatial, social, and historical relations are continuously formed and redefined.

The laboratory’s work is both research- and education-focused, aimed at local governments, residents, designers, students, and researchers. Its goal is to raise awareness of the value of building identity through architectural and urban heritage. Training programs for local governments and international summer schools for students and regional researchers are part of this initiative.

One of the laboratory’s key outputs is the Toolkit, a set of practical tools for municipal governments, residents, investors, and academic researchers. These include a mapping portal, the Wzornik Polski (Patterns of Poland) book, and Archiculture Notes: Practices and Inspirations. This Toolkit supports local governments in developing urban standards for their communities.

The project is supported by academic institutions, including the Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology, the University of Warmia and Mazury, School of Form at SWPS University, and the University of Navarra (Spain).

The Laboratory’s core idea draws on the architectural theory of Critical Regionalism, introduced by Kenneth Frampton as a response to the growing trend of universal architecture. In his essay Towards a Critical Regionalism: Six Points for an Architecture of Resistance (1983), Frampton critiques globalization and mass consumption culture, arguing that these forces lead to a homogenized, uninspired form of architecture that lacks connection to local diversity. He advocates for an approach that considers the context, topography, climate, and culture of a place, emphasizing design that aligns with its specific regional character.

Today, critical regionalism remains relevant, addressing the challenges of urbanization and the relationship between historical cities, suburbs, regions, and continents. It offers an opportunity to reestablish connections between modernity and tradition in a world increasingly driven by technology, including the evolution of AI. The creation of place-based identity remains as important as ever, calling for architectural resistance to uniformity.

The laboratory conducts research based on both historical and contemporary data, using urban and architectural inventories, interviews, and observations. Advanced technologies, including AI and GIS, are employed in data analysis.

Poland: Research covers all Polish regions, focusing on small, representative towns where architectural and urban typologies are studied. The first areas of research include Warmia-Masuria and Pomerania, with findings contributing to a database of regional urban-architectural characteristics and development forecasts.

Europe: In cooperation with European academic institutions, the Laboratory studies small towns and regions across Europe and beyond. The aim is to identify “architectural codes” and local identities, looking for analogies and shared typologies. Collaborations with local governments facilitate the exchange of knowledge on heritage management, design solutions, and revitalization efforts. Research aligns with the Baukultur quality standards set forth in the 2018 Davos Declaration Towards a High-Quality Baukultur for Europe.

Color of a Place

One aspect of the research focuses on the natural and built environment’s color palette. Inspired by the methods of Jean-Philippe and Dominique Lenclos, the study considers not only architecture and construction techniques but also local geology, climate, light, and socio-cultural behaviors. The project generates visual and chromatic guides through photographs and measurements of local color values.

International Summer School

The International Summer School is an educational program for students and researchers. Its purpose is to familiarize participants with the architectural landscape of small towns and explore their local identities. Students work in interdisciplinary teams—architecture, urban planning, landscape architecture, geography, and spatial management—to gather data on typologies of architecture, urban structures, landscapes, and local color palettes.

Public Space Leadership Course

The Public Space Leadership Course is a training program for local government representatives, aimed at developing leaders capable of creating coherent, long-term strategies for high-quality public spaces. The course, designed in partnership with the Pomeranian Spatial Planning Office, emphasizes a balance between cultural context, socio-economic needs, and environmental protection within the Baukultur framework.

The Activator City Program supports communities that actively and responsibly care for their space, developing project solutions for problematic areas.

The Toolkit is a collection of data from regions across Poland, Europe, and the world—a resource aimed at local governments, residents, and designers (architects and urban planners) to facilitate dialogue, as well as academic researchers, educators, and anyone interested in expanding their knowledge about regions, architecture, and the processes that shape specific spaces.

The Toolkit includes:

Project Director: Katarzyna Domagalska

Research:

Education:

Organizer:
National Institute of Architecture and Urbanism, Ministry of Culture and National Heritage

Partners:
Faculty of Architecture at Warsaw University of Technology, University of Warmia and Mazury, School of Form at SWPS University (Design Department at USWPS), Pomeranian Office of Regional Planning, Gerhart-Hauptmann-Haus, University of Navarra

The phase of the Laboratory of Regions project titled “In Care of European Cultural Heritage. International Exchange of Experiences” is carried out as part of the “Inspiring Culture” program, financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

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