FIVE DISTINCT ROOMS HOLD THE HISTORICAL EXHIBITION
At Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, the report Masterpieces from the Lanckoroński collection presents ancient sculptures and objects in five interconnected rooms. Designed by NArchitekTURA, the installation introduces curved walls, continuous surfaces, subdued colors and carefully controlled lighting in the historic interior of the castle.
Each room has a different atmosphere, but the materials and forms create a consistent path through it report. Rather than recreating an ancient setting, the design uses contemporary architecture to highlight the collection and guide visitors from one space to another.
all images from Adam Golec
CURVED WALLS CREATE A MYSTERIOUS ENTRANCE
The entrance acts as a quiet introduction to report. Two curved walls hide much of the existing room and direct visitors to the first gallery. Clay plaster, stone and metal were chosen for their association with materials commonly used in antiquity.
Designed by NArchitekTURA studioa circular light installation spans the two walls and evokes the Mediterranean sun. From most positions, the image appears blurry or incomplete, but from a certain view, its two halves line up to form a complete circle.
in the first showroom, the floor and wall material is glazed birch plywood
CONTINUOUS SURFACES FRAMING THE SCULPTURES
In the first gallery, polished birch plywood covers the floor and rises along the walls. At the top level, the material becomes translucent, allowing indirect light to pass through and creating a soft glow around the room. The sculptures are displayed on wooden platforms projecting from the new walls, while selected objects are protected by glass cases. The curved transition between the floor and the walls makes the room appear more continuous and removes clear boundaries between its surfaces.
The next gallery takes a similar approach. A textured surface extends from the floor to two opposite walls, creating a single curved backdrop for free-standing casts. Marble pedestals of different heights place the sculptures on a stable visual plane.
two curved walls almost completely hide the existing interior and indicate a direction of movement
PERFORATED WALLS PRESENT MISSING OBJECTS
Another room is defined by a warm brown plywood wall pierced with circular openings. Some contain photographs of objects that could not be included in the exhibition, while four larger alcoves display smaller objects.
The layout resembles a modern stereoscope, inviting visitors to look through the openings one by one. The matching brown tones of the floor, walls and ceiling create a neutral backdrop that keeps the focus on the photos and objects.
the exhibition also features historic stone gates from Wawel Royal Castle
BURGUNDY CARPET AND BRASS MARK THE FINAL ROOM
In the final gallery, a burgundy rug covers both the floor and a curved wall, echoing the color of the castle’s existing stone staircase. A circular display case mounted on the wall displays five small objects surrounded by concentric brass elements and soft, diffused light.
In all five rooms, the intervention balances contemporary exhibition design with the historic architecture of the Royal Wawel Castle. Curved surfaces, restrained materials and controlled lighting create a clear journey through the collection, while allowing each group of objects to occupy its own distinct setting.
a graphic, blurry, luminous circular shape curves along the edges of both walls
