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Lutetia

Ryszard Leśniewski, the President of Gray, received the prestigious Lutetia Award from the Polish Association of Authors, Journalists and Translators in Europe (A.P.A.J.T.E.) in the year 1996, in recognition of the best architectural project to be realized within the Polish community abroad in the year 1995 and other achievements in the propagation of Polish culture in Europe. The award is annual and its winners so far include, among others, Prof. Adam Zieliński, TVP Polonia, Prof. Henryk Ratajczak, director of the Scientific Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Paris, Jerzy Drożdż – Consul-general in Brussels, Rev. Czesław Nowak and dr Zdzisław Jagodziński, director of the Polish Library in London.

Lutetia’96 Honorary Award - Grounds for Jury decision in Paris, April 15, 1996:

The Lutetia’96 Award of the Polish Association of Authors, Journalists and Translators in Europe (A.P.A.J.T.E.) in the field of achievements within the Polish community abroad in the year 1995 was granted to Mr Ryszard Leśniewski. The award winner is a representative of the younger generation of our emigration and one of the very few Polish architects to have earned the recognition and approval of the Paris salons in only a decade.
Thousands of talented newcomers not only from Poland, but also from other corners of the world have learned that it is extremely difficult for foreigners to enter the elitist group of Paris architects. Paris, which the French consider to be the capital of the world, is very open to those who wish to admire it, but turns into a jealously guarded fortress if anyone intends to change its present appearance with their work. Ryszard Leśniewski, our today’s laureate, has not only managed to conquer this fortress but also gain the acclaim of its residents and local investors, which is an even more difficult task.
The year 1995 brought crowning achievements to the architectural activities of Ryszard Leśniewski and its Paris-based team Gray Architecture. His projects were built along the most prestigious Paris streets: Saint Honoré and Avenue de l’Opéra, and he was entrusted with preparing the design for the biggest Paris perfumery worth USD 4 million. The design provided for 1000 sq.m floorage and 240 sq.m shop window area in the Boulevard Haussmann, a place under special protection of the Chief Architect of Paris and the city authorities, in direct vicinity of the luxurious boutiques of the famous Galeries Lafayette. It is an art in itself to secure a permit from the city authorities to execute one’s architectural vision in this particular location of Paris. It requires not only architectural expertise but also a lot of diplomacy and negotiation skills to handle many months’ discussions with the state authorities.
Ryszard Leśniewski proposed modern spatial solutions, bold new materials, innovative lighting and original made-to-order furniture which amazed not only the French-Japanese investor and its clients, but also city authorities and architecture critics.
During a recent visit in Paris, a representative of the American publisher of a periodic book on the most beautiful perfume shops in the world congratulated the investor on the bold design and dubbed the project one of the best in its kind in the last couple of years.
The award is an expression of gratitude for achievements which bring recognition in the eyes of the world to Polish citizens both abroad and in their native country.

Zbigniew Judycki
Lutetia’96 Honorary Award Jury Chairman

 

"Lutetia’96 Honorary Award Diploma Ryszard Leśniewski, M.Sc. Civil Engineer Architect General Director of Gray Architecture in Paris For the best architectural project to be realized within the Polish community abroad in the year 1995: “PARIS LOOK – HAUSSMANN” in Paris and for achievements in the propagation of Polish culture in Europe"

The prestigious award and the history of the undoubted success behind it have reverberated through Polish press. Below is one of the articles:

A Pole against a Fortress

Were it not for Iga Dżochowska, I would never have learned of Ryszard Leśniewski, the man who has conquered the “Paris fortress”. Ms. Dżochowska is the manager of a Japanese pianist, Ms. Atsuko Ogawa, who has given numerous concerts in Poland and is also known for its Polish nickname. It comes from the fact that the Japanese pronunciation of the name “Atsuko” sounds similar to the Polish word “cacko”, i.e. a gem or a bijou, and so for her Polish friends Atsuko is simply “Cacko”. And she is a gem indeed – a petite Japanese with great personal charm and musical talent.
Because of “Cacko’s” concerts worldwide, Ms. Dżochowska spent some time in Paris, where she met with a friend of hers – Mr. Ryszard Leśniewski. He had graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture. In 1984 he left for Paris, where he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts and set up his own interior design company. In 1988 he founded “Gray Architecture” and started his road to success.
What was the success? It is best described in the grounds for the Lutetia’96 Award of the Polish Association of Authors, Journalists and Translators in Europe (A.P.A.J.T.E.), which award was granted to Ryszard Leśniewski (Lutetia was the Latin name for Paris in the Roman times). The jury chairman, Mr. Zbigniew Judycki, says: “Paris, considered to be the capital of the world, is very open to those who wish to admire it, but turns into a jealously guarded fortress if anyone intends to change its present appearance with their work.”
But Mr Leśniewski managed to conquer this fortress. “His projects were built along the most prestigious Paris streets: Saint Honoré and Avenue de l’Opéra, and then he was entrusted with preparing the design for the biggest Paris perfumery worth USD 4 million. The design provided for 1000 sq.m floorage and 240 sq.m shop window area in the Boulevard Haussmann, a place under special protection of the Chief Architect of Paris, in direct vicinity of the luxurious boutiques of the famous Galeries Lafayette. It is an art in itself to secure a permit from the city authorities to execute one’s architectural vision. It requires not only architectural expertise but also a lot of diplomacy and negotiation skills to handle many months’ discussions with the state authorities.” But Mr Leśniewski achieved this goal.
It is almost symbolic that a Polish architect was commissioned to design a perfume shop – after all, next to the Eiffel Tower, what is more evocative of Paris than perfume?
During his times in Paris, Leśniewski further developed his skills at summer workshops, some of which took place in Tokyo and Osaka. Maybe the invisible forces that affect our lives have brought the news of his success to Poland via “Cacko” and Ms. Dżochowska.

Zygmunt Broniarek

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