KNUTD REPRESENTATIVE PARTICIPATED IN PROFESSIONAL EVENTS OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL OF INTERIOR ARCHITECTS (ECIA) IN WARSAW

From 17 to 20 September 2026, Warsaw (Poland) hosted a series of professional events of the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA), organised with the participation of the Polish Association of Interior Architects (Stowarzyszenie Architektów Wnętrz, SAW)..

Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design was represented at the events by Oleksandra Shmelova-Nesterenko, PhD, Associate Professor at the Department of Interior and Furniture Design, KNUTD. Her participation in the programme focused on developing international professional and academic cooperation, exchanging experience in design education and professional development, and expanding contacts with European professional associations and educational institutions.

The programme began on 17 September at Willa Gawrońskich with a curator-led tour of an exhibition on Polish modernism, featuring landmark examples of twentieth-century Polish architecture, product design and furniture design.

On 18 September, the international conference Interior Architecture Connects Europe 2026 took place, focusing on current issues in the development of the interior architecture profession, design education, professional standards, new technologies, and interaction between professional associations and academia.

In the evening, the ECIA Best Interior Design in Europe ceremony was held, recognising the best European projects in interior architecture. The event also provided a platform for professional exchange and building international contacts.

On 19 September, the ECIA General Assembly and a working programme brought together representatives of professional associations and academia from across Europe. During the event, Oleksandra Shmelova-Nesterenko presented Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, the activities of the Department of Interior and Furniture Design, and its educational, project-based and research areas.

The professional meetings also included discussion of the international project proposal CO-SPACE, prepared under the Creative Europe programme with the participation of KNUTD and European partners.

Following the main programme, participants worked in thematic workshops devoted to current challenges facing the profession. Oleksandra Shmelova-Nesterenko took part in a discussion on the impact of artificial intelligence on professional practice in interior architecture and design education, including the transformation of professional competencies and new requirements for designer training.

Particular attention during the professional discussions was given to prospects for cooperation between KNUTD and European universities and professional organisations. The meetings resulted in new professional contacts with representatives of associations and academic institutions from Poland, Hungary and other European countries.

Another important topic was the possibility of developing a professional association in Ukraine in the field of interior design and interior architecture, with a view to future cooperation with ECIA. The experience of European professional associations can be valuable in shaping an appropriate organisational model, professional standards and international cooperation in Ukraine.

Participation in the ECIA events enabled KNUTD to be represented in the international professional community, to contribute to discussions on the future of the profession and design education, to learn from the experience of European professional associations, to continue cooperation with CO-SPACE partners, and to identify prospects for further academic and professional cooperation.

We sincerely thank the European Council of Interior Architects (ECIA) and Stowarzyszenie Architektów Wnętrz (SAW) for the invitation, the high standard of organisation, the hospitality, and the opportunity to take part in the professional dialogue of the European interior architecture community. Special thanks go to ECIA President Thomas Seifert, René Pier, Loes Bliek and other ECIA board members and representatives for their support, openness and professional exchange. We also thank Agnieszka Zygmunt and the SAW team for the warm welcome, excellent organisation of the programme and support in establishing new professional contacts.

27.10.2026