The architectural concept of the Austrian studio Baumschlager Eberle Lustenau GmbH won the competition for development of architectural concept for the European Film Center CAMERIMAGE in Toruń. The jury led by a respected Polish architect, Dr. hab. arch. Bolesław Stelmach, decided that the winning project:

“Meets very complex program assumptions in the demanding location of the facility in the most attractive way. The concept of multifunctional, common spaces beautifully harmonizes with the requested typology of the fragmented blocks. This allows for proper spatial relations with the festival square and green areas. "

The results of the competition were announced during a press conference held on August 31 at the ECFC seat. The event was attended by: the President of Toruń, Michał Zaleski, the president of the Tumult Foundation and the director of the EnergaCAMERIMAGE festival, Marek Żydowicz, the director of the European Film Center Camerimage, Kazimierz Suwała, and the director of the National Institute of Architecture and Urban Planning, dr hab. arch. Bolesław Stelmach. The official duties made it impossible for the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Culture, National Heritage and Sport, prof. Piotr Gliński to attend, however, he sent a video message to the conference participants, where he emphasized the importance of the planned investment:

„The construction of ECF Camerimage is a milestone in the development of cultural infrastructure in Poland and it will surely help to promote Poland as a filmmakers-friendly country. This is one of the key investments of strategic importance for the country's development. I am convinced that a modern film center will be one of the showpieces of Polish culture at home and abroad.”

The Director of the EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival and the President of the Tumult Foundation, Marek Żydowicz, presented the way in which the ECFC will function in the future:

„It will operate 365 days a year and will not only meet the needs of the festival, but also implement the year-long program on which we are already working and which will be based mostly on international contacts developed over the years by organizing EnergaCAMERIMAGE Festival. Not only in terms of film screenings, but also exhibition events. There will also be commercial activities related to the market space and the education center. This building is going to be the first place in Poland where it will be possible to organize world-class premiere events.”

The competition for development of architectural concept for the European Film Center CAMERIMAGE in Toruń was announced on February 28, 2021, by the European Film Center CAMERIMAGE (ECFC) together with the Association of Polish Architects (SARP). 102 architecture studios applied for the competition, 67 of them were invited to the first stage, 42 studios were accepted by the competition jury and the five highest-rated ones were qualified for the final stage.

„It was one of the most difficult competitions that I had to judge, because Mr. Marek Żydowicz and his team knew perfectly well what they would expect. It is an extremely difficult building to design, since each of its parts should be able to operate completely independently, and at times, for most spectacular events, all of them can work as one. At the same time, this structure is to be built in a place with a certain identity and history. Of course, the most important thing is to meet the assumptions of the EnergaCAMERIMAGE team, which expects a place on a global scale, so as to complete the city space of Toruń” said the chairman of the competition jury, Dr. hab. arch. Bolesław Stelmach.

The winner of the competition, Baumschlager Eberle Lustenau GmbH (design team included: Prof. Dietmar Eberle, Hugo Herrera Pianno, Melanie Ghanem, Johannes Burtscher, Maria Jose Rodriguez de Vera Guardiola, Agnieszka Miecznikowska, Aleksandra Śliwa, Gabriela Kasperkiewicz, Mateusz Dudek) will be awarded PLN 1,500,000 gross and an invitation to take part in single-source contract negotiations to complete a service based on their competition design.

Second prize, PLN 300,000 gross was awarded to Kengo Kuma & Associates + Ingarden & Ewy Architekci (design team: Kengo Kuma & Associates: Kengo Kuma [Principal], Marcin Sapeta [Partner], Sebastiano Caruso, Marcel Dawid, Yong Siang Ong, Zak Reichert, John XianFeng Jiang, Alicja Kubicka [1st stage], Jagoda Krawczyk [1st stage], Ingarden & Ewy Architects: Krzysztof Ingarden, Jacek Ewý, Piotr Urbanowicz, Adrian Kasperski, Karolina Midro, Katarzyna Pikiewicz-Derus, green areas designer - Masu Planning: Sune Oslev, Gauthier Durey, acoustics and stage technology consultant - Pracownia Akustyczna Kozłowski: Piotr Kozłowski, Bartosz Zawieja, installation, structures, ecological solutions consultant - Arup Polska).

Third prize, in the form of PLN 200,000, went to P2PA Sp. z o. o. (design team: Marcin Bieńka, Aleksander Blicharski, Paweł Floryn, Jakub Podgórski, Maciej Popławski, Acoustic and technological solutions: Kajetan Krztoń).

The jury of the author also awarded two special mentions to Kozień Architekci S.C. - Marek Kozień, Magdalena Kozień-Woźniak, Katarzyna Kozień-Kornecka (designed team: Marek Kozień, Magdalena Kozień-Woźniak, Katarzyna Kozień-Kornecka, Jakub Dziewoński, Joanna Filipek)

and Zaha Hadid Architects, Wenzel + Wenzel (design team: Jim Heverin [Zaha Hadid Architects], Johannes Hoffmann [Zaha Hadid Architects], Thomas Frings [Zaha Hadid Architects], Serra Pakalin [Zaha Hadid Architects], Nelly Huang [Zaha Hadid Architects] Architects), Marie-Perrine Placais [Zaha Hadid Architects], Ines Fontoura [Zaha Hadid Architects], Andres Madrid [Zaha Hadid Architects], Muriel Boselli [Zaha Hadid Architects], Sindi Dojaka [Zaha Hadid Architects], Rippel Patel [Zaha Hadid Architects], Keyur Mistry [Zaha Hadid Architects], Man Jia [Zaha Hadid Architects], Bogdan Zaha [Zaha Hadid Architects], Ian Lai [Zaha Hadid Architects], Alex Nap [Zaha Hadid Architects], Gavin Green [Charcoalblue], Amanda Brecknell [Charcoalblue]).

Those two studios will get the prizes of PLN 100,000 each.