An iconic piece of Bratislava’s industrial heritage has been transformed into a centre for art and commerce, with a new glass skeleton to complement its concrete interiors.
The Jurkovič Heating Plant dates from 1944 and is deemed a national cultural monument in the city’s Sky Park development. This swathe of formerly industrial land is now home to houses, offices and a park, all designed by Zaha Hadid Architects.
Architect Martin Pasko and his DF CREATIVE GROUP led the heating plant’s adaptive reuse, aiming to preserve as much of the original red-brick industrial architecture as possible. A new interior glass facade creates the layout for a set of coworking spaces, while the building’s various parts are now accessed by raised metal walkways.
These additional elements stand alongside Jurkovič’s concrete hoppers. As well as offices, the culture hub houses a restaurant, cafe and art gallery, and space to host conferences.