Summary of the “Smart Garden Suburb” design studio | The Faculty of Architecture at the Gdańsk University of Technology

This year’s Urban Design 2 course (semester 4, English track) took place in an exceptional atmosphere. The results of the design studio Smart Garden Suburb, conducted in the spirit of landscape urbanism by PhD, DSc., Eng. Arch. Gabriela Rembarz and MSc. Eng. Arch. Urszula Cryer, were subjected to external review during the final presentations. This was made possible thanks to the invited guests – arch. Anna Król (CKK Architekci) and arch. Maciej Mazur (AXIS MASON) – who enthusiastically joined the open, professional debate on the theme, the methodology, and the 20 proposed housing schemes for six locations in Nowy Port and Dolny Wrzeszcz. Valuable insights were also provided by MSc. Eng. Arch. Bahaa Bou Kalfoni, who had previously led two earlier editions of the UD2 design studio.

For the forty-member international group of students, the semester’s conclusion on June 26, 2025, resonated with professionalism not only thanks to the guests’ participation, their introductory presentations highlighting the connection between practicing architecture and studying urbanism, but also through their constructive critique of the student projects. The meeting concluded with an awards ceremony.

For the third time, six participants were selected for the “Week with a Mentor” program – an informal initiative launched by Gabriela Rembarz, offering chosen students from Urban Design 2 a one-week internship in a renowned architectural office in Poland.

This year, the following students were rewarded with this unique professional experience:

1. Marta Kopera and Natalia Stawicka, invited by the renowned Warsaw practice APA Architekci
2. Kornelia Kopiś, mentored by the acclaimed Warsaw office MAMArchitekci
3. Wiktor Dawid and Adrian Kapczyński, who in July completed an internship at the internationally awarded young Warsaw practice Archigrest
4. Anastazja Majdyło, trained in July at the international firm Axis Maison
5. Zuzanna Pawelec, selected for an internship by the well-established Gdańsk-based office CKK Architekci

We extend our warmest thanks to all the partner offices – true friends of the Week with a Mentor initiative – and heartfelt congratulations to the participants of these short but meaningful professional experiences!