The Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Cracow

SARP Competition No. 1085 – An international, two-stage architectural and urban planning competition to develop a concept for the new headquarters of the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Cracow, Poland.

• organiser: Małopolska Province
• in collaboration with the Cracow Branch of the Association of Polish Architects
• Competition website: view

• architects: 
  • Chartier Dalix: Frédéric Chartier, Pascale Dalix
    co-authors: Mickaël Hassani, Konstanty Kosma Mikołajczak, Denise Pintilie,
  • medusagroup: Przemo Łukasik, Łukasz Zagała;
    co-authors: Dorota Pala, Jakub Świdziński, Marcin Lech, Kasper Wyszyński, Wojciech Funkiewicz
• visualisations: Chartier Dalix
• Usable floor area: 36 741 m²
• Site area: 19 806 m²
• Building area: 8 514 m²
• Total area: 45 065 m²
• Design: 2025

The design of the new Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic Hall in Kraków is an attempt to redefine the institution of the philharmonic, transforming it from an elite space into an open, democratic public building.

The main idea was to create a building that not only serves music lovers but also actively engages with the wider community, promoting music and making it part of the city’s everyday life. Our aim was to reinforce music’s soothing influence on society through architecture that is inviting, universal and multifaceted.

A key urban planning principle was to preserve the existing green space, which became the heart of the entire development. Instead of a monolithic structure, a complex of interconnected above-ground buildings was proposed, surrounding a green courtyard. This creates a tranquil buffer at the interface between the dynamic city and the world of sound, bridging the two realities and offering the public and residents a place of tranquillity. Only the parking facilities are located underground.