Dezeen · Architectuur

KOGAA transforms former industrial hall in Czech Republic into art gallery

Local architecture studio KOGAA has converted a former industrial shed in Brno, Czech Republic, into the Šmeral Art Factory, an exhibition and events space. This project is the first phase of a plan to revitalize the area and integrate it with the city.

The Šmeral Art Factory is situated within the operational Šmeral machinery factories complex. KOGAA aimed to preserve the building's industrial character while giving it a new public function. Existing steel trusses were painted a pale green, a color referencing the original factory finishes, and used to define gallery areas. This intervention is intended to act as a catalyst for the broader transformation of the Šmeral complex, demonstrating how minimal, strategic changes can unlock the potential of industrial structures.

The site now features Brno's first legal graffiti wall, with a yard behind it repurposed for events and temporary installations. A mint-green steel canopy extends from the shed's roof to cover a performance area, complemented by a matching entrance door. Inside, the space is illuminated by a polycarbonate skylight. Original metal light fittings, updated with LEDs, hang from the green trusses. A central block houses restrooms and is adjacent to a bar clad in white corrugated metal produced by the Šmeral factory. The bar's construction utilized materials and techniques from the factory's daily production, reflecting the project's ethos of creating value through local craftsmanship and existing resources.

Temporary white walls have been installed at the southern end of the building to create exhibition space, with narrow steel bars beneath the trusses facilitating the display of hanging artworks.

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