Anna Gawlik

I am an interior designer and owner of ANKE DESIGN STUDIO, an independent design practice based in Kraków, Poland, which I have led since 2007.

My academic background bridges the humanities and design. I hold a Master’s Degree in Polish Philology from the Jagiellonian University and a diploma in Interior and Spatial Design from the Cracow School of Art and Fashion Design. Over the past eighteen years, I have designed residential, hospitality, commercial, and wellness environments, developing an approach that combines aesthetics, storytelling, and a deep interest in human experience.

A turning point in my professional journey was the creation of IKI CASA, an urban retreat and wellness space in Kraków. Conceived as a place for restoration and sensory experience, the project became an exploration of how architecture, materiality, light, atmosphere, and ritual can support emotional regulation, wellbeing, and embodied presence. In 2025 , IKI CASA received the awards for Best Day Spa in Poland and Best Spa Interior Design and in 2026 for Best Day Spa in Poland.

My current interests focus on neuroarchitecture, sensory design, embodied cognition, and evidence-based approaches to the built environment. In the early 2026, I joined the Executive Course in Neuroscience and Design at POLI.design – Politecnico di Milano, where I continue to deepen my understanding of the relationship between perception, emotion, behaviour, and space.

I am particularly interested in how architecture can move beyond function and aesthetics to become a tool that supports health, self-awareness, and meaningful human experiences. Through both professional practice and ongoing research, I explore how environments influence the nervous system, memory, attention, and our relationship with ourselves and others.

Beyond design, I find inspiration in art (specially sculpture), photography, nature, and motherhood — experiences that continually shape my understanding of empathy, presence, and the role of space in everyday life.