‘With respect for the past’ — WXCA’s Bagatela Theatre design, a UP!Awards 2026 winner

The redevelopment and extension of Teatr Bagatela in Kraków, designed by the WXCA studio, has been recognised at the Wprost UP!Awards 2026 in the 'With Respect for the Past' category. This is a task at the opposite pole from erecting a new building: working within the historic, history-laden fabric of one of the city's most important theatres.

A heritage building open to the city

What won over the jury was the way the studio reconciled protection of the building's historic structure with the idea of a modern, multifunctional cultural centre — open to both residents and visitors. As the WXCA studio puts it: 'The aim of the project was to create new artistic possibilities and ensure the highest standards for staging performances, while at the same time strengthening the relationship between an institution valued by the people of Kraków and the city itself.' This points to the direction in which the regeneration of cultural venues is heading today: not a museum sealed behind glass, but a living stage that reaches out into the city.

An award as an argument

The award was presented at a gala at the Nobu Hotel Warsaw. For a studio, an award like this is not a certificate for the wall but real capital: proof that in heritage work WXCA operates at the highest level — a hard argument to have when pitching for the next public and private commissions. For us at Method Press, it is an example that in projects touching a heritage building and residents' emotions, how you communicate your intent matters as much as the architecture itself — because regeneration always plays out in full view of the city.