It will be an extraordinary apartment building. Konieczny planted 140,000 plants on the facade

It will not be another apartment building where the greenery is limited to a few trees in front of the entrance. AuraRobert Konieczny’s latest project implemented in Poznań, is intended to combine architecture with nature in a much more radical way. There will be as many as 140,000 plants on the façade, and a specially designed retention, irrigation and fertilization system will work almost like the circulatory system of a living organism. The project has just won two awards in the international ICONIC AWARDS competition.

Architecture that does not cut itself off from nature

Aura is being built in Winogrady in Poznań and was designed in the spirit of neuroarchitecture. The assumption is simple, although its implementation required many years of work: the space should be conducive to people, reduce stress and support everyday well-being.

Therefore, not only square meters or the standard of finishing are important here, but also daylight, contact with nature, views and the opportunity to rest. The shape was shaped so as not to dominate the surroundings. Excessive height has been eliminated, thanks to which residents will gain panoramic views and good access to natural light.

– A building can change a place and the entire city. It can become the answer to what we miss, and we miss contact with nature. The aura is architecture on the one hand and nature on the other. It creates a symbiosis with it. I don’t design for awards, I design for people who will experience this space every day. However, I am happy when our concepts are noticed and become the subject of discussion, because it gives an impulse to changes in the entire city planning system – emphasizes Robert Konieczny, architect and founder of KWK Promes.

140,000 plants instead of decorative greenery

The most spectacular element of the project will, of course, be the facade. Will be planted on the building 140 thousand plants. In total, there will be approximately 150,000 of them throughout the entire investment. However, it is not about the visual effect. Greenery was treated as an active element of architecture. It is supposed to cool the façade, filter the air, reduce urban noise, retain water and create its own microclimate.

Such a large scale of the vertical garden is intended to make Aura the largest solution of this type in this part of Europe. The Poznań project is placed next to projects such as Bosco Verticale in Milan or Edificio Santalaia in Bogota. At the same time, it is to be the first project of its kind in Poland. However, the project required much more than just the idea for a green wall. An interdisciplinary team of architects, constructors and botanists worked on the project for five years. Among other things, 1:1 scale models were created to check how individual species would cope with changing weather conditions and vertical growth.

Building with its own water circuit

One of the biggest technical challenges was to create a system that would maintain such extensive vegetation. Therefore, an automated and maintenance-free water circulation was planned in Aura. The retention system equipped with filters and a fertilization station is responsible for irrigation and providing the plants with the necessary nutrients. The whole thing was designed as a closed system that is to function all year round. It is this integration of nature and technology that makes the project go beyond the idea of ​​a green facade known from many buildings. In Aura, vegetation is to be part of the functioning of the facility, not an addition to its architecture.

Premium here means more than luxury

The project also consciously changes the way of thinking about the standard of an apartment building. The focus of the concept is not on fashionable materials or impressive decorations, but on conditions that are intended to improve the quality of everyday life.

The interiors were designed taking into account the natural circadian rhythm and daily activities. The common areas will feature works by artists associated with Poznań: Alicja Biała, Konrad Juściński, Maria Brukwicka-Voelkel, Grzegorz Myćka and Gosia Bartosik. Art is therefore to become another element of the experience of space, next to light and greenery.

– Aura is our next contribution to ensuring that Poznań is perceived around the world as a city of art and unique architecture. This is the role of the Bałtyk office building, which we completed together with the Dutch office MVRDV, which has become a symbol of modern Poznań, or the outdoor installation “Nierozpoznani” by Magdalena Abakanowicz at the Citadel. When I started working with Robert Konieczny, I was sure that we would create unique architecture. Robert is an artist who actively participates in the global discussion about design for future generations. I knew that some of the solutions would require prototypes and experiments. We are proud that this demanding project has already received such high recognition from the international jury at this stage. I believe that future users will also appreciate it. Living surrounded by nature while remaining in the heart of the city, proximity to greenery and access to forms of recreation are the elements of well-being that we need most today – says Piotr Voelkel, Aura investor.

Two international awards for Aura

The project by Robert Konieczny and KWK Promes has just been appreciated by German Design Council. Aura won two awards in the competition ICONIC AWARDS 2026 – in categories Concept and Innovative Material. The first distinction refers to the very idea of ​​the project and its view of the architecture of the future. The second one reflects the unusual approach to the material particularly well. In this case, nature itself becomes the “material”. The jury appreciated not only the visual effect, but also the many-year research and testing process. In the case of such a large-scale green facade, the durability of the solution is as important as its appearance. The weather is supposed to change with the seasons, develop and at the same time support the local ecosystem. A formal awards ceremony will take place October 6, 2026 in Munich.

Poznań checks the future of urban architecture

Aura is therefore more than just another housing investment. This is an attempt to answer the question whether a contemporary building can function simultaneously as part of the city and as a fragment of a living ecosystem.

If the project’s assumptions prove true in practice, the Poznań apartment building may become an example of how architecture can use nature not only in the aesthetic sense. 140,000 plants, its own microclimate, water retention and solutions focused on the well-being of residents create a concept in which the boundary between the building and nature begins to blur. And this may be the most interesting part of Aura’s story.