Katarzyna Roj’s “A Brief Vacation” project won the competition for the exhibition in the Adam Mickiewicz Institute-coordinated Polish Pavilion at the 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition. The main theme of the exhibition is the concept of “a day sanatorium” that combines a number of different functions and caters to the needs of a multicultural community. The space of the Polish Pavilion will be transformed into an intimate chamber inspired by the tepidarium – a heated area that, in ancient Roman baths, was a space to relax and warm up the body. The facility, which will include a lounge area, will offer visitors the chance to experience some peace and tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle of the Triennale, while simultaneously engaging all senses by the means of art.
Katarzyna Roj is working on the project with architect Aleksandra Wasilkowska and a team: Olaf Brzeski (sculpture), Łukasz Rusznica (photography) and Agata Bartkowiak (visual communication). Monika Opieka (scent), Alicja Wysocka (choreography) and Antonina Nowacka (sound) will also participate. The exhibition is co-organized by BWA Wroclaw.
This is the fourth time the Adam Mickiewicz Institute is in charge of the Polish Pavilion at one of the most important international events dedicated to architecture, art, and design, which takes place every three years in Italy. The 24th Triennale Milano International Exhibition, set to launch on 13 May 2025, will follow the theme of “Inequalities”.
Facciata_Giardino_FQ6A6555 - © Triennale Milano - foto Gianluca Di Ioia
The winning project was selected following a closed-door competition by a jury comprising: Dr Olga Wysocka, Małgorzata Miśkowiec, Barbara Krzeska, Dr Małgorzata Jędrzejczyk and Prof. Magdalena Kochanowska.
Olga Wysocka, the director of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute, commented on the jury’s decision: Katarzyna Roj’s project touches on the idea of a new kind of comfort, rooted in a sense of calm and time, which are ordinarily unavailable to the majority of social groups. Roj situates this theme in the present day, referring to the challenges faced by modern medicine and hygiene and the needs of the ‘burnout society.’ The overarching focus of her project revolves around developing the conceptual framework for a new urban facility, a day sanatorium.
The 24th edition of the Triennale Milano International Exhibition will be open to the public from 13 May to 9 November 2025, and will follow the theme of “Inequalities.” In Katarzyna Roj’s “A Brief Vacation” project, the answer to this challenge is the prototype for an urban service, a transcultural and trans-species space for health, resilience, and pleasure.
Aleksandra Wasilkowska added: We refer to them as ‘trans-sanatoriums’ and envision them as a kind of humanitarian architecture, combining functionalism, spirituality, multiculturalism, and hospitality. These are small physical structures, with autonomous infrastructures – ventilation, sanitation, nature, and water, set within a landscape conducive to regeneration, care, breathing, and inclusivity.
What makes Katarzyna Roj’s proposed idea for the exhibition stand out from the other proposals is its very clear vision of delivering an urban facility, a so-called day sanatorium, accessible to everyone and offering some respite to visitors. The theme of inequality is addressed precisely through providing access to respite and comfort. The entire concept is rooted in a set of interesting and intellectually stimulating texts – Professor Magdalena Kochanowska explained her decision.
Work on the exhibition at the Polish Pavilion will be carried out according to a new pilot formula, engaging not only professionals, but also assistants. This strategy is designed to provide young people the opportunity to gain experience working on an international project under the auspices of a major cultural institution and in close collaboration with an experienced curatorial and design team. Their participation in the entire process – including interior design, graphic design, and technical tasks – aligns with the current trend to foster collaborative teamwork, but also a commitment to equal opportunities, in line with the theme of the 24th International Exhibition.
The author of the winning proposal, Katarzyna Roj is a curator and author of a number of texts on material culture. From 2009 to 2023, she led the Dizajn BWA Wrocław gallery programme, which focused, among other things, on the dissemination of ideas related to speculative design, resilience, unfairly distributed consumption, and the use of design tools in climate change adaptation processes. She has curated, among others, “Żyjnia” [Lifery], “Zaświaty” [Afterlife], and the exhibition-process, “Pole Regeneracji” [The Field of Regeneration]. Since 2023, she has been working as deputy director of BWA Wrocław for Programme, Education, and Promotion.
The Triennale Milano International Exhibition, now in its 24th edition, is one of the most renowned international events dedicated to architecture, art, and design. Every three years, the Palazzo dell’Arte, home to Triennale Milano where the event is held, is filled with installations and exhibitions that take the form of site-specific artistic interventions, integrated into the interiors of the historic Palazzo.
After exploring the themes of sustainability with Broken Nature in 2019 and the mysteries of the universe, from outer space to the invisible scale of viruses with Unknown Unknowns in 2022, the 24th International Exhibition Inequalities will conclude the trilogy by narrowing the reflection to the human scale with the political and urgent theme of growing inequalities. The International Exhibition aims to map inequalities while searching for the most advanced political projects for a society in which differences constitute an intentional and mobile value and resource to be recomposed within new forms of community.
Media contact: Klaudia Gniady, [email protected]
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