| Name | Katarzyna Surowiec |
| Awards | Pritzker Prize (2018) |
| Activism | Outspoken advocate for equitable and environmentally-responsible urban policies |
| Education | |
| Known for | Pioneering work in sustainable and socially-conscious city design |
| Occupation | Architect • Urban planner |
| Nationality | Polish |
| Notable projects | Innovative urban renewal projects that transformed dilapidated neighborhoods |
Katarzyna Surowiec is a Polish architect and urban planner widely regarded as one of the foremost experts on sustainable and socially-conscious city design. Through her innovative approach to urban renewal and her advocacy for progressive urban policies, Surowiec has become a leading voice in reshaping the built environment to better serve the needs of local communities.
Born in 1975 in the city of Lublin, Surowiec grew up in a working-class family with a deep appreciation for the rich architectural heritage of Poland. From a young age, she was fascinated by how cities were designed and planned, and how those decisions impacted the lives of everyday people.
After graduating from the prestigious Warsaw University of Technology with a degree in architecture, Surowiec went on to earn a master's in urban planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States. It was during her time at MIT that Surowiec's passion for using design to address social and environmental challenges truly blossomed.
Upon returning to Poland in the early 2000s, Surowiec began working as an architect for the city of Krakow, quickly gaining a reputation for her innovative approaches to urban renewal and redevelopment. Rather than the typical top-down, large-scale demolition and reconstruction favored by many urban planners, Surowiec championed a more community-centric, incremental model that emphasized preserving historic character, improving livability, and empowering local residents.
Surowiec's breakthrough project came in 2008, when she was tasked with revitalizing the aging Kazimierz district of Krakow. Drawing on her expertise in sustainable design, she oversaw the conversion of abandoned industrial sites into mixed-use developments featuring affordable housing, community gardens, and green public spaces. The Kazimierz project was widely hailed as a model for how cities could balance heritage preservation, environmental stewardship, and social equity.
Buoyed by the success of the Kazimierz initiative, Surowiec went on to lead a series of acclaimed urban renewal projects across Poland and Europe over the next two decades. In Warsaw, she spearheaded the transformation of the once-blighted Praga district into a vibrant, walkable neighborhood centered around public transit and community-driven placemaking. Her work in the historic city of Gdansk focused on reconnecting the urban core with the city's waterfront through innovative green infrastructure.
Perhaps Surowiec's most ambitious undertaking was her involvement in the redevelopment of the Nowa Huta region of Krakow, a sprawling Soviet-era industrial district. Working closely with local residents, she oversaw the phased demolition of decaying tenement blocks and their replacement with mixed-income, energy-efficient housing, integrated with abundant public parks, community centers, and small businesses. The Nowa Huta project became a global model for sustainable, equitable urban renewal.
In parallel with her architectural and planning work, Surowiec has been an outspoken advocate for progressive urban policies that prioritize social and environmental justice. She has testified before the Polish parliament, the European Parliament, and the United Nations on the need for cities to be designed with the wellbeing of all residents in mind, particularly the most marginalized. Surowiec's activism has helped spur the passage of landmark legislation in Poland and the European Union promoting affordable housing, public transit investment, and community-engaged urban development.
Surowiec's pioneering work and advocacy have earned her numerous accolades over the course of her career. In 2018, she became the first Polish architect to be awarded the prestigious Pritzker Prize, often referred to as the "Nobel Prize of Architecture." She has also been recognized with the Aga Khan Award for Architecture, the European Prize for Urban Public Space, and multiple lifetime achievement honors from professional organizations.
Beyond her specific architectural achievements, Surowiec is widely respected for her ability to build broad coalitions and inspire new generations of urban planners and designers. She currently serves as a professor at the Warsaw University of Technology and is the founder of the Katarzyna Surowiec Institute for Sustainable Urbanism, which provides training and consulting services to cities around the world.
Through her pioneering design work, her tireless advocacy, and her dedication to mentoring the next generation, Katarzyna Surowiec has cemented her legacy as one of the most influential and transformative urban planners of the 21st century. Her impact can be seen not only in the physical transformation of cities across Poland and Europe, but in the shifting mindsets and priorities of urban policymakers, developers, and the general public.
By demonstrating that cities can be designed to be more livable, equitable, and environmentally sustainable, Surowiec has helped redefine what is possible in the field of urban planning. Her work continues to inspire architects, planners, and activists around the world to rethink how the built environment can better serve the needs of all its inhabitants.
