HISTORY
Miastoprojekt Kraków was once home to the city architects who played a defining role in shaping Kraków’s post-war urban landscape. Housed within a landmark modernist building completed in 1955 and designed by Józef Gołąb in the spirit of Socialist Realism, it served for more than four decades as the headquarters of one of the city’s most influential architectural studios.
It was here that visionary concepts for the future of Kraków took shape, including the urban framework of Nowa Huta, the campus development of the University of Physical Education, and the distinctive Rydygier Hospital. Miastoprojekt also extended its reach far beyond Poland, preparing urban masterplans for international projects in cities such as Baghdad and Tunis.
Over the course of its history, the practice designed nearly 11,900 buildings and developments, including more than 1,200 public institutions: schools, hospitals, theatres, museums, banks, offices, health resorts, hotels, and cultural centres. At its peak, Miastoprojekt brought together over 600 architects and engineers united by a shared purpose: to create spaces that genuinely enhanced the quality of life for the communities they served.
Following the political and economic transformation of 1989, the institution gradually lost its prominence as many of its most accomplished architects and engineers established independent practices across Poland. In the decades that followed, the building survived primarily as an office property, while the remarkable legacy of its post-war achievements quietly faded from public memory.
Today, through the vision of SAO Investments, the legacy of Miastoprojekt is being brought back to life. Under the SAO MIASTOPROJEKT brand, a team of more than 160 specialists continues its tradition of interdisciplinary collaboration and technical excellence. By bridging heritage and innovation, they are shaping a new chapter for the landmark building, carrying the spirit of Miastoprojekt into the future.
