ENTROPIC and studio4SPACE have received second prize in Józefów's 2021 competition for a public library, kindergarten and surrounding landscape at Asnyka Street. Submitted as Zielony Portal Józefowa and presented by ENTROPIC as The Nature Gate, the proposal brings two forms of learning together through a shared gateway into the town's pine woodland.
The library meets the street, while the kindergarten occupies a quieter part of the site, orientating its classrooms towards the trees. Each programme has a distinct spatial logic, but their connection establishes a common point of arrival. The building becomes a threshold between everyday civic life and the forest, rather than an object placed apart from its surroundings.
A rooftop play landscape adds a different dimension to the site. By lifting recreation above the ground, the design seeks to retain more of the woodland below while giving children an elevated setting for movement and discovery. Timber and the compact arrangement reinforce the relationship between architectural form, material character and care for the existing landscape.
Selected from 31 competition entries, the second-prize proposal advances ENTROPIC's interest in public architecture that draws different groups into contact. The Nature Gate treats the library, kindergarten and shared spaces as parts of one civic experience, giving a practical brief the capacity to support play, cultural activity and a wider sense of belonging.
Explore The Nature Gate · Municipality of Józefów's official results
