The modernist DS Jowita on Zwierzyniecka Street in Poznań will be renovated. After months of uncertainty, Adam Mickiewicz University has confirmed that the building will not be demolished. The architectural competition for the redevelopment project was won by the NM Architekci studio, whose concept envisages a thorough renovation of the building, superstructure and the creation of green space around it for recreation.
Results of the competition for the modernisation of DS Jowita in Poznań
The urban-architectural competition for the design of DS Jowita with accompanying functions was settled on 29 October 2025. The jury awarded three prizes and three equivalent distinctions. The first place went to the NM Architekci studio, whose team consists of Tomasz Marcinkiewicz, Zuzanna Szpocińska-Marciniewicz, Jerzy Grochulski, Aleksandra Kreft and Konrad Matulaniec. The winners received an award of PLN 85,000 and an invitation to negotiate the development of the design documentation. The project was appreciated for the correct proportions of the superstructure and the harmonious shape of the entire building, the concept of transforming the existing car park into a small park, as well as the use of pro-ecological solutions and functional layouts of the rooms. The jury drew attention to the realism of the investment objectives and the good development of fire safety issues.
Among the post-competition recommendations was that the planned gym be abandoned and the top floor be used for additional student rooms to increase the number of residents and reduce accommodation costs. The court also recommended changing the functional layout of the ground floor, designing an accessible catering area, and analysing the elevation of the superstructure to achieve a more coherent visual effect. The second prize was won by the ARCH_IT studio of Piotr Zybury from Wrocław, and the third prize went to the team Tektura Barbara Kozielewska and GAB Piotr Grabowski Architekt.
Modernist history of DS Jowita
The Jowita Student House is one of the most important examples of modernism in the centre of Poznań. The building was commissioned in 1964 as part of the Adam Mickiewicz University development programme for 1959-1965 and was designed by architects Witold Milewski and Zygmunt Skupniewicz of Miastoprojekt in Poznań. The 13-storey skyscraper, including two underground levels, was filled with double rooms of a higher standard. In the summer, the skyscraper served as a hotel, catering for the guests of the Poznań International Fair. Next to the main building was a low wing with social facilities, a canteen and the Akumulatory student club, which gave the building its common name.
Jowita was one of the more recognisable landmarks around the Kaponiera roundabout. The design was distinguished by a white façade made of broken ceramics, which was a very innovative solution in the 1960s. The material was sourced from the Porcelain Factory in Chodzież after special approvals were obtained. Initially, two high-rise buildings with 18 storeys were planned, but the height of the structure was limited due to the regulations in force at the time.
Road from closure to renovation
At the beginning of 2023, the university authorities announced that Jowita would be closed and put up for sale. The decision provoked strong opposition from students, who began occupying the building in December 2023. The protest lasted for 10 days and ended after the Minister of Science, Dariusz Wieczorek, assured them that funding for the renovation would be allocated and the number of dormitories in Poland would be increased. In the following months, UAM reached an agreement with the Poznan branch of the Association of Polish Architects, which organised a competition for the modernisation of the building. The outcome of the proceedings confirmed that the university intends to preserve the existing building and adapt it to the needs of students today.
Significance of DS Jowita in Poznań
The Jowita Student House is a symbol building – one of the most important buildings in the post-war architecture of Poznan. Its modernist form, vertical mass and unique façade made of ceramic rubble speak of the aesthetic and technological search of the 1960s. Fortunately, the building was considered valuable and worthy of preservation in the hands of UAM. It will now be given a second life. Congratulations to the winning studio NM Architects and the other award winners!
Design: NM Architekci
Source: SARP Poznań Branch
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DS Jowita at present and in the future. Photo: Google Maps and NM Architekci
