As part of the Poland–Romania Cultural Season 2024–2025, Romanian Design Week and Łódź Design Festival will present the project “Design is Our Shared Language” – an initiative that transforms public space into a platform for meetings, conversations, and shared experiences. From 16 to 25 May 2025, the cities of Łódź and Bucharest will host urban interventions created by Polish and Romanian architects.
Two Art Installations, Two Cities, One Message
This May, residents of Bucharest and Łódź will encounter architectural installations integrated into the streetscapes of their cities – designed to foster interaction and create spaces for connection at the heart of the urban fabric. The project, developed collaboratively by Polish and Romanian architects, seeks to convey a shared message: public spaces should actively contribute to building a sense of belonging among residents in the cities they inhabit.
Design is a universal language – one that connects cities, cultures, and communities. “Design is Our Shared Language” is built on three core pillars: fostering intercultural collaboration, promoting mutual cultural understanding, and revitalising public space. Two architectural studios worked together to design installations for both cities.
Design Interventions “Design is Our Shared Language” in Public Spaces
In Bucharest, the installation will be located on Calea Victoriei, one of the city’s most important avenues, which transforms into a vibrant pedestrian zone on weekends. In Łódź, the intervention will appear on a newly renovated square at the intersection of Ogrodowa and Zachodnia streets – a space that reflects the city’s ongoing revitalisation process. Both installations were designed with sensitivity to the specific context and character of their respective sites, yet they share a common message and design approach.
The urban interventions will be accompanied by editorial content and informative exhibitions, offering visitors the opportunity to explore the culture, heritage, and urban landscape of the partner city. By transforming everyday public spaces into colourful, dynamic, and interactive environments, the project showcases how design can inspire spontaneous encounters and foster social engagement. It is also an invitation to build connections between the residents of two European cities – through shared spaces, experiences, and interactions.
BAZA. Deschidem orașul – An Installation Based on the Idea of a Chair
Romanian studio BAZA. Deschidem orașul will present an urban intervention that reimagines the chair not only as a design object, but also as a tool for gathering, play, and fostering a sense of belonging in public space. The installation serves as an exploration of the chair’s role in the urban environment. Through scaling and transformation, the architects reinterpret this familiar object, gradually turning it into a new architectural element. While retaining its basic function, the chair becomes a structural unit – a playful, open form that encourages interaction. As it grows and multiplies, it invites new uses and spatial experiences. The installation will be presented on Calea Victoriei in Bucharest.
Simultaneously, a parallel structure by Polish studio 2x3 Creative Studio will be exhibited in Łódź, forming an intercultural dialogue through concept, colour, and function. More information is available on the organisers’ websites: Romanian Design Week and Łódź Design Festival. “Design is Our Shared Language” is part of the Poland–Romania Cultural Season 2024–2025 and reflects the mission of the bilateral programme: to strengthen ties between the two countries through art, design, and meaningful cooperation. The Poland–Romania Cultural Season 2024–2025 is organised by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage of the Republic of Poland and the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, with the support of the Polish Institute in Bucharest, the Romanian Ministry of Culture, and the Romanian Cultural Institute.