Interview with Roland Stanczyk

Roland Stanczyk ("RS") interviewed on Monday, 20 October.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

RS : I am Roland Stańczyk — Architect and founder of RS Studio Projektowe. I have been designing professionally since 1999 (now 26 years of practice) and lead projects from concept through construction supervision and completion. My training is from the Faculty of Architecture at the Warsaw University of Technology (with a scholarship period at the University of Detroit), and my early career included work in advertising animation and set/visual design for television. Over the years I have focused on luxury residential interiors, but my portfolio also includes public interiors (shops, offices, spas) and urban-scale commissions; I manage the full development process together with selected contractors. My practice has been recognized in international competitions and editorial features.

How did you become a designer?

RS : Design for me grew from two sources: formal study and early hands-on production work. Architecture school gave me the tools and discipline; parallel involvement in visual media (animation, set and TV design) taught me how meaning is created through composition, light and movement. In 1999 I founded RS Studio to bring those interests together — to reinterpret historical languages of Polish interiors with contemporary techniques. What drove me was both an internal curiosity about how space shapes life and a fascination with Poland’s architectural layers: the challenge of restoring dignity to older buildings while meeting today’s functional and technological needs. Mentors and colleagues from academia and practice influenced me along the way, but the decision was largely an internal conviction: good design should respect history, serve people, and embrace appropriate technology.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

RS : 1. Context and continuity — respect for the building’s history and the cultural logic of place; I frequently reinterpret historical motifs in contemporary language. 2. Materiality and craft — careful selection of materials (wood, stone, natural finishes) and attention to joinery and detail so the interior ages well; tangible quality is crucial. 3. Integration of art and technology — placing artworks and curated objects as integral to the composition while using modern building and smart-home technologies discreetly to raise comfort and performance.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

RS : Designing brings a mix of curiosity, challenge and quiet satisfaction. The most electric moments are the birth of the idea — the instant a compositional principle appears that solves both programme and atmosphere. I also love the forensic, problem-solving joy of resolving technical and craft constraints: those are deeply satisfying. Finally, seeing a completed, lived interior — especially when the client, art collection and architecture begin to “talk” to one another — produces a calm pride. Designing gives me meaning: it’s the pleasure of shaping daily life and of seeing culture, craft and technology cooperate.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

RS : Non-design skills that matter most in my work are: project management and coordination, client communication and curation, and historical research. Managing budgets, timelines and multidisciplinary teams (engineers, contractors, artisans) is as crucial as the concept; good communication keeps the original intent intact through execution. Historical research informs how I borrow and reinterpret details appropriately. Early experience in visual media taught me narrative and composition; years of supervising builds taught me patience and technical judgment. The biggest influences have been Polish architectural history and the practice of placing original XX-century Polish art in interiors — both have consistently shaped my decisions.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

RS : My ongoing growth is twofold: deepening research and broadening scale. I am extending my practice’s ability to combine scholarship (respect for heritage and light research) with high-quality execution. In the near future I plan to continue design work for sophisticated private clients while developing larger public or cultural commissions — museums, small institutions, or curated private-museum homes where architecture and collection meet. My dream project is a cultural house or small museum that is itself an inhabited piece of architecture: a project where conservation, contemporary design, lighting research and curated collections are integrated from the first sketch through the interpretive program. I also remain committed to mentoring younger designers and contributing to professional organisations so that standards for interior architecture continue to rise.

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

RS : To young designers I always say: do not rush to build a portfolio—build yourself first. Master drawing, history, and construction. Learn to listen and to see. The danger for many young designers today lies in believing that software will replace knowledge and experience. Technology is only a tool; it cannot compensate for weak foundations or poor taste. You will face setbacks — indecisive clients, technical constraints, or budget cuts — but those are the lessons that will shape you most. Early in my career I learned that design is not only about creativity but about persistence and negotiation. One of the best pieces of advice I received from a professor was: “Draw less, think more.” It means that concept and intention must always lead form. I grow my own knowledge constantly through site observation, travel, reading, and dialogue with craftsmen and engineers. True education never ends — every project is a new school.

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

RS : For fellow professionals, my strongest suggestion is: practice consistency with humility. Success is not measured by the number of awards or media features but by the quality of relationships you build—with clients, collaborators, and materials. Always design for someone, never at someone. Understand the user’s life and emotions before deciding on materials or technologies. Avoid the trap of repeating yourself or chasing visual trends. The goal is not to invent new shapes every year, but to find coherence between place, light, proportion, and human comfort. Another principle I value is discipline of detail. The smallest decisions — a joint, a light level, a door handle — decide the final impression. Architecture and interior design are slow arts; they require patience, not instant gratification. And remember: taste and integrity are your strongest currencies.

What is your day to day look like?

RS : My typical day begins early with coffee and quiet review of ongoing projects — often sketching corrections by hand before the team arrives. I check correspondence and site updates, then move into design meetings or client presentations. A large part of my workday involves coordination with engineers, contractors, or artists whose input enriches the design. I enjoy visiting construction sites; that is where drawings become reality and where many design decisions are refined. I often end the day reviewing details, lighting schemes, or material samples. Small rituals keep me balanced: background music in the studio, a brief walk, or a conversation with colleagues about something unrelated to work. Even an ordinary day holds small satisfactions — a resolved junction detail, a client’s smile, or seeing good craftsmanship executed exactly as imagined.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

RS : I observe trends but I do not follow them. Awareness is important — every designer must know what happens in the world — but imitation is not. I am interested in timeless quality rather than seasonal style. My projects evolve through cultural observation rather than fashion. I study exhibitions, art, materials research, and new technologies in lighting and smart-home systems — but I apply them selectively, in ways that serve the idea of the space. Inspiration for me rarely comes from magazines; it comes from architecture, music, nature, and historical interiors — from the play of light in an old stairwell or a painting by a Polish modernist. Trends fade; atmosphere endures. My aim is to design interiors that will still feel coherent twenty years from now.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

RS : A well-designed space feels inevitable — nothing can be added or removed without breaking its balance. Good design for me means clarity of idea, honesty of material, and comfort of use. When I enter a room and everything seems to breathe naturally — proportions, light, circulation, acoustics — I know it works. The project should age gracefully, not depend on decoration to hide mistakes. Common mistakes include over-designing, ignoring context, or prioritising image over logic. A design is good when it creates harmony between aesthetic, function, and emotional resonance. It must speak quietly but convincingly, revealing thought rather than shouting style.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

RS : A design is ready when all decisions are coherent — when further changes would only weaken the concept. In practice, this moment arrives when the project itself begins to “speak back,” showing that every proportion, light source, and material supports the same idea. Of course, no design is ever perfect. I often keep mental notes for improvement, but there is a point when the work must be handed over to life. Real users and time will complete it better than any architect could. I know a design has succeeded not only when it photographs well but when I return months later and feel that the space lives naturally — that people inhabit it comfortably, and that it still reflects the same quiet order I intended.

What is your biggest design work?

RS : Among many projects, the one that stands out most for me is the “City Rooftop Residential” interior — a penthouse designed on top of a historical Warsaw building. It received the Bronze A’Design Award in 2024, but more importantly, it embodies everything I value in architecture: continuity, precision, and emotional resonance. The challenge was to harmonize the 19th-century structure with a fully contemporary lifestyle, integrating advanced lighting and smart-home systems while preserving the spirit of the original architecture. I designed it as a living dialogue between heritage and innovation, between silence and light. It became my most significant work because it demanded not only technical mastery but also empathy and restraint. Every decision — from the ceiling geometry to the tone of natural oak — was guided by light and proportion. I consider it my most complete statement about what “modern luxury” means today: timelessness, comfort, and intellectual clarity. Currently, I am developing another project that excites me deeply — a private residence that incorporates an art collection as a curatorial narrative within the architecture itself. It continues my exploration of how art and space can co-create atmosphere.

Who is your favourite designer?

RS : I admire designers and architects who combine intellectual depth with a human touch. Among contemporary figures, I respect Peter Zumthor for his profound sensitivity to material and atmosphere, JUhani Pallasmaa for clarity and discipline, and Frank LLoyd Wright for his civic integrity. If I could meet one designer from the past, it would be Frank LLoyd Wright — his ability to unite architecture, craft, and poetry remains unequalled. For me, the most iconic architect of all time is Tadao Ando, because he transformed our understanding of how we inhabit space. Yet emotionally, I feel closest to the quiet elegance of Alvar Aalto — his architecture breathes empathy and light. I also draw inspiration from Polish modernists like Bohdan Pniewski and Marek Budzyński, who taught that architecture is a dialogue with society, not a display of ego.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

RS : I live and work in Warsaw, a city of layers — tragic, resilient, and constantly reinventing itself. This cultural complexity shapes my thinking about interiors: every wall in Warsaw hides a story. Music is part of my creative process; I often design to classical or minimalist music, which helps me maintain rhythm and concentration. Travel, art exhibitions, and historical architecture are my main sources of renewal. Polish culture, with its tension between memory and progress, strongly influences my design philosophy. I believe good design is not decoration but a civilising force — it teaches people to live more consciously, to notice proportions, textures, and light. In daily life, I introduce small, thoughtful rituals — careful lighting, quiet materials, sustainable solutions — because design should begin with how we inhabit our own homes.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

RS : RS Studio Projektowe is built on respect, precision, and continuity. I lead every project personally but work with a trusted network of architects, engineers, artists, and craftsmen. Collaboration is essential, but so is clear authorship; every project must have a consistent voice. Working with me requires discipline and curiosity — I expect accuracy, but also the courage to propose ideas. When choosing partners or employees, I look for integrity, patience, and a genuine love for detail. Technical skills can be learned, but character cannot. The core challenge in our profession is balance: between creativity and reality, art and business. A good designer must be simultaneously dreamer and manager. My main responsibility is to translate human needs into spatial harmony and to defend quality at every stage of the process. The essence of our corporate culture is simple: do it once, do it right, and make it last.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

RS : I believe every architect has a responsibility to contribute beyond commercial work. Over the years, I have offered design consultations and mentorship to young architects and students, especially through the Association of Interior Architects (SAW) in Poland, where I have served as vice-president. I also participate in design juries, public lectures, and exhibitions that promote higher standards of interior design education. Occasionally I take on pro bono advisory projects — for cultural or educational spaces — when I feel that good design can significantly improve public value. I see humanitarian and educational engagement not as charity, but as continuity: giving back to the community that has shaped me. Supporting young designers and sharing experience is part of my professional ethics — because design, at its best, is a form of cultural stewardship.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

RS : Participating in the A’ Design Award has been a rewarding experience. The process itself — preparing submissions, articulating design philosophy, and receiving feedback from an international jury — forces you to reflect critically on your own work. The three main benefits are: Global visibility — reaching audiences beyond national boundaries and connecting with other professionals worldwide. Intellectual growth — presenting a project to a critical panel refines your language and strengthens your design reasoning. Professional motivation — recognition renews energy, reminding you that quality and persistence matter. Design competitions are important because they foster dialogue and benchmark excellence. They remind us that design is a collective cultural enterprise, not just an individual pursuit. Being named Designer of the Day is an honour — a brief but meaningful acknowledgment that one’s work contributes, in some small way, to the wider narrative of contemporary design.

Roland Stanczyk Profile