On a sun-drenched summer afternoon in Łódź, Poland, I had the pleasure of sitting down with Michał Piernikowski, the director of the Łódź Design Festival. His office, nestled within a revitalised former factory, provides the perfect backdrop for a conversation about a city that has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once the ‘Manchester of Poland,’ a hub of textile manufacturing, Łódź has weathered economic storms and emerged as a vibrant centre of creativity and design.
What makes Łódź’s renaissance particularly compelling is its commitment to sustainability through urban recycling. Rather than demolishing its industrial heritage and building anew, the city has embraced the art of repurposing, breathing new life into centuries-old factories and residential buildings. This approach represents one of the most sustainable forms of urban development, preserving embodied energy whilst creating spaces fit for the 21st century. In this interview, Michał shares the story of the city’s regeneration, the birth of the Łódź Design Festival, and the unique spirit that makes this Polish city a must-visit destination for the discerning traveller.
From Empty Factories to Creative Spaces
Michał paints a vivid picture of a city that, just two decades ago, was grappling with the ghosts of its industrial past. The once-thriving textile factories, the very heart of Łódź’s economy, had fallen silent, leaving behind a landscape of empty, decaying buildings. “When we started, the old factories were empty and they were a concentrated problem for the city,” he recalls. The initial impulse was to demolish these relics of a bygone era, to erase the reminders of economic hardship. However, a groundswell of activism from the city’s residents, a passionate cohort of individuals dedicated to making Łódź a better place, championed a different path: revitalisation.
This movement, fuelled by a deep-seated love for the city’s unique architectural heritage, convinced the authorities to embrace regeneration over destruction. The first major success story was Manufaktura, a former industrial complex transformed into a bustling commercial and cultural hub. This project, Michał explains, was a turning point, demonstrating the immense potential locked within these red-brick giants. “You can see what good you can do with something that was considered as a problem,” he says. The city, with the help of European Union funding, began to invest heavily in similar projects, breathing new life into old factories and residential buildings, transforming them into museums, public institutions, and vibrant community spaces.
What makes Łódź’s regeneration so special, Michał emphasises, is its focus on people. This is not a soulless gentrification project that displaces long-standing communities. Instead, it’s a conscious effort to create a city for everyone. He points to the example of Księży Młyn (the Priest’s Mill), a historic factory district where original residents now live alongside new institutions, workshops, and creative businesses. “You have all the original residents still living there after the renovation of their buildings, but also new institutions, NGOs, and small workshops,” he explains. This approach has fostered a sense of ownership and pride among the city’s inhabitants, creating a unique urban fabric where history and modernity are interwoven.
The Birth of a Design Festival
Łódź’s creative energy, Michał suggests, is a direct consequence of the hardships it has endured. “I strongly believe that when it’s too easy, you are not creative, you know?” he muses. For years, the city was overlooked, overshadowed by the nearby capital, Warsaw. This sense of being an underdog, of having to forge its own path, has instilled a rebellious and resourceful spirit in its people. It is this very spirit that gave birth to the Łódź Design Festival.
Twenty years ago, as a sociology student, Michał and a friend, driven by a desire to create something for their city, approached the local authorities with a bold idea. They wanted to organise a series of cultural events, from street art to photography exhibitions, and they needed a space. To their surprise, the city said yes, offering them an entire derelict factory – the very building where our interview is taking place, now a thriving art incubator. “They told us, ‘Okay, you can have it – not rent it, just please pay the bills,'” he remembers with a laugh. This was a testament to the city’s openness to grassroots initiatives, its willingness to take a chance on the creative vision of its young people.
The Łódź Design Festival was born from this opportunity, but it was never intended to be a purely aesthetic affair. From its inception, the festival was envisioned as a catalyst for urban transformation. The first editions were held in spaces on the cusp of renovation, like the future Manufaktura and the Anders hotel, offering a glimpse into the city’s potential. The festival became a way to reclaim and reimagine these forgotten spaces, to show the world, and the people of Łódź themselves, that their city was on the brink of a renaissance.
More Than an Exhibition: The Festival Experience
So, what can a visitor expect from the Łódź Design Festival? Michał is quick to point out that it’s far more than just a showcase of beautiful objects. While there are certainly plenty of exhibitions featuring cutting-edge design from Poland and around the world, the festival’s true essence lies in its city-wide engagement. “It’s something that is still all over the city,” he says, explaining that the festival collaborates with numerous institutions, galleries, and even factories to create a diverse and immersive experience.
This means that a trip to the festival is also a journey of discovery through Łódź itself. Visitors might find themselves exploring a power station, venturing into the city’s underground tunnels, or gaining access to the hidden archives of a museum. “We are trying to open spaces that are usually closed to the public,” Michał reveals. This element of urban exploration is a key part of the festival’s appeal, offering a unique perspective on the city’s history and infrastructure.
The festival is also deeply rooted in the local community. There are projects for children, fine-dining experiences in local restaurants, and social experiments that blur the lines between art and everyday life. It’s a celebration of Łódź in the truest sense, a moment for the city to come together and take pride in its creative identity. “It’s about celebrating Łódź,” Michał affirms, “and the people really embrace that. It’s about celebrating Łódź, but of course it’s also about showing what is the best in the city.”
20 Years and Counting: The Festival’s Next Chapter
As the Łódź Design Festival approaches its 20th anniversary, it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, Michał reveals that big changes are on the horizon. Next year, the festival will expand its presence in the city with a series of architectural and artistic installations that will remain in place throughout the summer. “Design festival is always in May, but those projects, they will be in the city for the whole summer,” he announces. This is a significant development, transforming the festival from a week-long event into a more enduring celebration of design.
The installations will be diverse, ranging from playful and interactive pieces to thought-provoking works that address pressing issues like climate change. There will be green installations that evolve over the summer months, offering a dynamic and ever-changing experience for residents and visitors alike. This forward-thinking approach is a testament to the festival’s commitment to pushing boundaries and using design as a tool for positive change.
For those inspired to experience the creative energy of Łódź for themselves, the Łódź Design Festival is an unmissable event. To learn more, visit the official website at www.lodzdesign.com and follow the festival on social media.
As our conversation draws to a close, it becomes clear that Łódź’s defining threads of creativity, civic pride, and entrepreneurial spirit are woven throughout the city in a manner remarkably similar to the fabric for which this place was once famous. Just as skilled weavers once transformed raw materials into beautiful textiles, today’s Łódź has transformed industrial decay into urban beauty, creating a tapestry of culture, community, and sustainable development. It’s a city that proves that with a little bit of creativity, and a whole lot of heart, even the most challenging of circumstances can be transformed into something truly beautiful.
