Kengo Kuma Architects has designed a striking new landmark in the heart of Torun, Poland, as part of the CAMERIMAGE building competition for the European Film Center. Their vision celebrates the fusion of film and architecture, presenting both as a shared form of artistic expression. This innovative design earned second place in the competition.
The concept embodies the metaphor of a “movie curtain call,” reflected through dynamic rhythms and organic structural forms. The building creates a distinctive space enriched with musical and visual experiences, welcoming artists, tourists, and locals alike.
The CAMERIMAGE Film Center’s organic and lightweight form allows visitors to feel the building’s unique aesthetic from afar. Its design thoughtfully integrates with the surrounding environment, harmonizing with nearby landmarks such as the Science Department building, Marshal’s office, and Jordanki Concert Hall. It also complements the extended streets and historic architecture of the old city area.
The building’s form, combined with concrete and stone materials, balances poetic, delicate, and organic qualities, establishing a new future landmark for the city.
Beyond the Film Center itself, the proposal includes a public square that unites all new cultural activities in Torun city. The design emphasizes the sensory experience of the site by incorporating materials like ceramics and wood, enhancing both visual and tactile interaction.
Through varied perspectives, the building’s organic shape integrates seamlessly with the streetscape. A multi-dimensional traffic flow guides visitors naturally to the Film Center’s main entrance and display area, which face al. Solidarności, providing a prominent visual axis.
Notably, a staircase designed to resemble piano keys, highlighted by a “red carpet” running along them, invites visitors into the artistic realm.
As visitors pass through the public square, they encounter a circular theater on the right, reminiscent of a green mountain, and on the left, the dynamic form of the film production studio.
This sequence of experiences is designed to foster architectural elements that continue evolving internally and externally toward the future.
Additionally, the proposal aims to become a new cultural hub for local residents, hosting film festivals and serving as a vibrant gathering place for everyday informal meetings and cultural activities in Torun.
The CAMERIMAGE Film Center stands as the city’s latest landmark, paying tribute to cinema and uniting those connected to the global film industry. Film and architecture, as universal and significant forms of expression, are powerful media for entertainment and storytelling.
Both disciplines have created countless visual artworks, communicating ideas, stories, emotions, aesthetics, and atmospheres through moving images or spatial design. Our goal has been to capture and embody these interdisciplinary elements in the design of the CAMERIMAGE Film Center for the Torun European Film Festival. — Kengo Kuma Architectural Firm
The European Film Centre CAMERIMAGE (ECFC) is a national cultural institution established in 2019 by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, the city of Torun, and the Tumult Foundation.
Its mission is to provide a permanent home for the Energa CAMERIMAGE International Film Festival and to organize exhibitions, cultural events, and educational initiatives related to the audiovisual arts.
In this competition, the awards included a cash prize of approximately 2.37 million RMB and an invitation to commission the project. The Austrian firm Baumschlager Eberle Lustenau won first place, while honorable mentions went to Zaha Hadid Architects, Wenzel+Wenzel, and KOZIE ಡ Architects SC.
The competition team included Kengo Kuma (founding partner) and Marcin Sapeta (partner) from Kengo Kuma Architects; Zachary D. Reichert, Sebastiano Caruso, Marcel Dawid, Ong Yong Siang, Jiang Xianfeng, Jagoda Joanna Krawczyk, and Alicja Kubicka from KAE & Associates; as well as Krzysztof Ingarden (lead), Piotr Urbanowicz, Adrian Kasperski, Karolina Midro, and Katarzyna Pikiewicz Derus from Ingarden & Ewy Architekci (IEA).
Landscape consulting was provided by MASU, led by Sune Oslev and Gauthier Durey. Acoustic consulting came from Piotr Kozlowski and Bartosz Zawieja of Pracownia Akustyczna Kozłowski. Mechanical and electrical engineering was handled by ARUP Poland.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up