The art of living in a factory

Cities are inclined to support mixed-use projects that, instead of concentrating offices, industry or retail in one place, combine a number of functions together. This is certainly the case when it comes to the growing popularity of the short distances concept, the idea behind which is to reduce the need to travel by locating a wide range of services and entertainment available in the same place. One of the most complex projects of this type is Norblin Factory in Warsaw, which falls into the same category of such other similar developments as Monopolis in Łódź as well as the Koneser centre and Elektrownia Powiśle (both in Warsaw). The complexity of its character is due not only to the varied mix of functions that it offers Warsaw’s residents today, but also the obvious historical nature of the redevelopment project.

The age of metal

The metal-plating plant on ul. Żelazna in Warsaw’s Wola district was originally founded in the first half of the 19th century as the Norblin, Bracia Buch i T. Werner factory. When the company was nationalised after the Second World War, it continued to operate as Walcownia Metali Warszawa until 1991, when it was renamed Norblin S.A. Over the years, the complex has been put to a variety of uses, including housing the Museum of Industry for a time as well as the Scena Prezentacja theatre. But at the beginning of the 21st century, the factory finally had to be sold, but its historic buildings still had to wait over a decade to be restored. The investor behind the project, Capital Park, has since completely transformed the industrial complex. It now features modern office space, which is fully leased. The anchor tenant is Allegro, which occupies 16,000 sqm of office space, while the 2 ha site now also includes a Kinogram boutique cinema (which also serves as the headquarters of the Polish Directors’ Guild). The diverse food, drink and cultural section includes the immersive Art Box Experience zone as well as a BioBazar health food market. There is a wide range of retail and services, and soon a co-working centre is to be opened. The complex comprises 41,000 sqm of offices as well as 24,000 sqm of retail, services, F&B and cultural space. The total cost of the restoration and renovation work, which was designed by the PRC Architekci studio with Warbud being the general contractor, came to PLN 87 mln.

The laboratory that went up in the world

“The fundamental idea behind the project was to preserve the spirit of the old factory while merging its elements into a modern form in order to create a single integrated unit. Our first task was to ensure the plant’s historic walls were stable. To do this we renovated the foundations under nine of the old buildings and also erected diaphragm walls for the car park,” explains Emilia Błach, the design offer director at Soletanche Polska. Former industrial sites are something of a challenge from the geotechnical point of view, and Norblin was no exception – as Soletanche had to contend with both the difficult ground and water conditions in its design work as well as the density of several 19th century buildings packed so tightly together. Two of them – the former mechanical laboratory and the hardening plant – had to be raised to allow the subcontractors to work on the foundations beneath them. This was done using injection micropiles to lift up the buildings. In this way excavation work could be done and a ground plate could be poured out and strengthened, upon which buildings B-17 and B-18 now stand. This entire operation took almost a year.

The multi-stage modernisation project included the ground work, installations, further construction work and the conservation and restoration of the old buildings. The free-standing factory hall has been extended and is now in effect an internal room of a newly-built ground-level complex. Not only were nine buildings restored, but so were 50 machines with a combined weight of 850 tonnes, which not only now on display but also help to add to its character through being a reminder of the history of the site. “This was an ambitious undertaking, but – as always – it was worth it. After it was all done, I couldn’t wait to have a coffee here, so that I’d be able to talk about the project. Now it looks as though my time has come at last,” says Emilia Błach, with a chuckle.

The conservation work

The guiding principle behind the conservation work for the former factory was: authenticity. This involved avoiding covering up signs of machine use, while repairing slight damage and cleaning away patinas. “The conservation and restoration work had two different modes. Wherever you can now see architectural details or plasterwork, we have taken great care to restore it. But in places where the brickwork is uncovered, we were not afraid to retain gaps or signs of corrosion. The intention was to freeze the factory in time at the moment when it ceased to be used for its original purpose and became a monument,” explains Artur Setniewski, the director of the Norblin Factory Museum and the preservation and restoration work coordinator. The final form that an exhibit takes is due to the simultaneous use of a number of preservation techniques, which were carried out both in-situ and in the workshop. In sections where the combination of old technology and architecture was considered to have special historical value, the machinery was left in its original place.

A home for artists

“Entertainment and art are part of the DNA of our project,” claims Kinga Nowakowska, a board member and the operations director of Capital Park. “The Norblins and Wagners were patrons of the arts as well as collectors. Pierre Norblin, when he first came to Poland, was a painter, while Stefan Norblin was an accomplished poster artist. We would like to continue this tradition, which is why we have established the Norblin Factory Foundation to support different forms of art, young artists, musicians, poster artists, painters and designers. We would like the factory to be a home to them in a certain sense,” she explains, and goes on to add that it’s difficult to find another renovation project on such a scale in Poland. In order to retain the unique character of the plant, many items that have been found have since been restored, even those that were not listed as monuments. These include the railway lamps and train wagons that were used to transport items around the factory. These now not only contribute to the factory’s post-industrial aesthetic, but they also tell the story behind its history. “By working together with students of the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw as well as with the School of Form, we were able to bring individual artefacts back to life. The young artists worked on the old doors of the factory, which now decorate the walls of the car park. You could say that the heart of the Norblin Factory is the museum section. The history it depicts is unique and allows the complex to stand out from all similar developments,” insists Kinga Nowakowska. Soon, the Apple Museum Poland is to open in the centre, which will exhibit the world’s largest collection of the brand’s products. But according to Capital Park, this will not be the final surprise in store for visitors. As Artur Setniewski claims, the motto of the Norblin Factory will continue to be: “Come back! We’ve got a lot of stories to tell you.”