This article examines issues relating to the design and investment process in the context of a city centre subject to conservation protection, using the example of the construction of the Puro Hotel in Poznań between 2012 and 2014. The article analyses the historical, planning and conservation constraints that had a fundamental influence on the shaping of new forms and volumes within the historic urban fabric. The research employs historical-interpretative, experimental and case-study methods, supplemented by an analysis of the process of shaping architectural form. The aim of the article is to analyse the design process as a method for studying the intervention of contemporary architecture in the historic urban fabric. Particular attention is paid to the interrelationships between the results of urban, historical, and conservation analyses and design decisions. The mechanism for translating input data into architectural solutions is presented, demonstrating the influence of spatial context and planning guidelines on shaping the building's form, façade, and detail. This article aligns with the "Research by Design" (RbD) research paradigm, in which design becomes both the subject and a tool for understanding and interpreting the historical context of a site. The conclusions drawn may serve as a point of reference for research into the integration of contemporary architecture with the historic urban fabric and support design practice carried out in areas subject to conservation protection. The issues addressed in the article also relate to the transfer of knowledge between design practice and academic reflection.