- What does the victory mean to you and how do you feel?

Natalia Paszkowska: This is a great opportunity. The victory will result in big changes in our professional lives. It’s the moment at which we’re dropped into deep water. To win such a competition is something that only happens to most architects once in a lifetime. We’ve already achieved several successes, but this is the first spectacular one, which will drive us forward in such a dramatic way.

- What did you expect to follow participation in such a competition?

Marcin Mostafa: The competition was divided into two stages; which was the main reason we decided to take part. The first stage then led to the following fruitful work. I zealously urged Natalia to participate in it; we then invited Wojtek Kakowski to join us. At the second stage which involved a larger investment (of time), we successfully invited a wider group of people to cooperate with us.
NP: The subject was unusually interesting for us. We deal with commercial projects on a daily basis; however the pavilion is a public utility building, which’s meant to fulfil completely different requirements. For us as architects, this was very inspiring.
MM: This is something exceptional; you work on such a project once in a lifetime.

- Was it publicised among architects? Where did you get the information about it?

NP: The information came from various circles – friends and the architecture website.
MM: It was a great challenge and a possibility of escaping from the commercial projects. Public utility buildings provide every architect with a very interesting topic.
NP: It helps to break up the routine and to fill up our portfolio. During our studies we were involved in very interesting projects, we worked on schools, or philharmonic halls, whereas in professional life we’re faced with a different scale of projects. Treating competitions as a kind of exercise is not only our policy.

- What’s been the response from international architectural circles?

NP: We’re under the impression that the competition has produced a very wide echo. We’ve been contacted by around 20 of the top magazines from our sphere and the opinions are very varied. We’re of the impression that the overtones are very positive; though we’re aware that the elevation’s decoration and the rich design, which we propose, present a challenge towards modernism. It has even been said that Adolf Loos is turning in his grave. But, we’ve also received a lot of encouraging praise.
- On the internet forums, many commentaries particularly from the USA and Gt. Britain have appeared. In terms of more important opinions, ARUP – one of the world’s largest construction firms have contacted us. We’ve also been acknowledged by Cecil Balmond, a great authority from the premier league, who’s invited us for talks relating to a project.
NP: He’s a very important figure. It’s for us, the highest honour.

 - Lets discuss the pavilion itself. Where did you get the inspiration from?

NP: When searching for a strong pavilion concept, we thought of Polish design and its achievements. We’re influenced by the sphere of Polish industrial design, which is why we draw our inspiration from this theme.
MM: We believe this is terrific material for Poland’s promotion and marketing. Our design is highly regarded abroad. An example is the success of Polish carpets that were given a prestigious award by the publication Wallpaper. We recognised that we should use these motifs on an architectural scale, particularly as hitherto they hadn’t been used in such a way.

- How does your project fit into the international trends in design?

NP: Folk art is the inspiration; in the same way across the world, different cultures gain their inspiration from their (traditional) designs. Returning to the roots is today visible in many areas, including architecture.
MM: Many of the top architects are also exploiting the theme of lacework and transparent elements. In this context our project embraces this convention. I also want to underline its unique character, which is founded on the Polish culture.
NP: Contemporary architecture is slowly drawing back from neo-modernism, rediscovering the width of facades, which allows for experimentation with elevations, whether it’s on a level of applied technology, or in the introduction of a certain design. Certainly there’s a well established trend, of “playing around” with not only a building’s mass, but with its texture, openings and with light.

 - What did you hope to convey by the use of these symbols? What in your opinion will the Polish pavilion’s visitors say about it at when coming to EXPO? We anticipate that mostly they’ll be Asians, the majority of which will be coming into contact with Poland for the first time...

NP: We’ve focused on presenting a certain icon. The EXPO exhibition will be something like an architectural fashion show – it’s an excellent field for experimentation, at which various architects attempt various novel ideas, which are often later introduced on a larger scale in commercial construction. However, buildings such as the British pavilion aren’t understandable for the average visitor.
Ahead of us are the tasks of assimilating two goals. On one hand, we want to - with the help of our project - establish dialogue with international architectural circles and to present Poland as a country, which can in this field present something that’s world class. On the other hand, we want to make an impact on the visitors and help them to feel that it’s a truly Polish pavilion; we feel with some satisfaction that we’ve achieved this. Though there have been voices of criticism that cut outs aren’t necessarily associated by the Chinese with Poland, we hope that we can begin a reverse process – if we can create such an icon, then Poland will be thought of in connection with our pavilion. This was so, in the case of the Dutch pavilion, in which trees were grown. Thanks to this Holland was conceived of, as a progressive country, focusing on ecological design. I hope that we’ll succeed with a similar effect.
MM: We’ve discussed this subject at length, in our project we’re linking the past with modernity. We’re using our rich traditions, but we’re trying to do this in a very contemporary way. Such a thing cannot be made from straw. We’ve thought of a modern arrangement, based on advanced technology, for traditional design. In this way we hoped to portray Poland’s transformation, to underline that we’re modernising, whilst not breaking the traditional ties.

- In forming this project, did you focus on research which was carried out on the requirements of EXPO, or on the opinions of people that weren’t closely tied to Poland?

MM: In terms of the deeper level, we tried to make use of your findings. Whilst creating the design, we formed the answers for ourselves, for every specific question connected to the competition’s particulars. Whereas the boundaries in terms of what people would want to see and what they’d expect from the pavilion, we tried to answer intuitively, not focusing on any specific research. 
NP: I’m not totally certain as to how people from outside our sphere will react to such a project; whether they see it as some kind of object, assessed by aesthetic criteria, or if they can imagine it as a spatial object. In terms of aesthetic satisfaction, it seems to me that we’ve fulfilled this task.

- How do you understand the slogan “Better city, better life” and the Polish pavilion’s theme “People create the city”?

MM: We began with the initial idea that the key to the improved future for cities was to use natural elements and renewable raw-materials. Similarly in terms of technology, we can achieve a better city by linking up with the past and using simple ecological solutions.
NP: We focused on how to make the space freer, in order to have fewer restrictions when arranging it. We’ve also signalled, how we visualise the installation of the live projection of life in Polish towns, so that the visitors will move around the pavilion in parallel with the Polish citizens.
The slogan “Better city, better life” embraces a concept which is hard to include in an architectural project. We were faced with a choice, did we want to respond in a literal way, at the cost of the resulting effect, or by not providing a specific answer to achieve complete satisfaction in terms of artistic merit. An example is the Swiss project, which clearly relates to the “Better city, better life” concept, but we however found unconvincing.

- In your visual concept it’s clear that all the parts of the building, including the roof, can be used to organise various types of events.

MM: One question was the slope of the roofs, which is solved in our project – you can go up to the viewing gallery by lift and descend via the roof. It is primarily to serve as a backdrop, forming an arena for various events. A second point is the intimate square below - in which shows can be arranged that can be admired from above. A technical solution should be used which would also allow people to be seated in this area.  

- What opportunities do you think the world EXPO exhibition will bring Poland and what about the architects, particularly the younger ones, who’ll be able to work on the project?

NP: It’s certainly a chance, to come into contact with another dimension of project-design. Such things are simply not carried out in Poland. From the broader perspective, it’s a great promotion of Polish architecture. In our opinion, already today this project has become the best known Polish project worldwide; this is confirmed by the many comments in professional circles and the heated discussions that have been generated over the internet. Accompanying this is a general debate on the state of Polish architecture. The generation of these types of discussions can only be a force for good. Last year a Polish project won a competition for the best family house. It was then noticed that original and interesting projects were emerging in Poland...
MM: This pavilion as a real Polish building, will be an opportunity to display before the world the development in Polish architecture.

 - At this time I’d like to once again congratulate you on your success and thank you for the interview!