Factory Conversion
An overview of projects, products and exclusive articles about Factory Conversion
News • News • 5 Aug 2024
b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos completes thoughtful rehabilitation of obsolete factory in Barcelona into corporate HQ
In Barcelona, Spanish architectural studio b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos has completed a thoughtful rehabilitation and conversion of the old and obsolete Simon electrical material factory into a new corporate headquarters. A heritage brand first established in 1916 in the Catalonian town of Olot, Simon specializes in technological solutions for lighting, connectivity, and electrical equipment. Electrical switches are one of the company’s trademark products — fittingly, the newly revamped Barcelona HQ is symbolically named SWITCH: “Simon Worldwide Innovation Talent Community Hub”.
José Hevia
b720 Fermín Vázquez Arquitectos
b720 Fermín Vázquez... More
News • News • 22 Jan 2024
Johannes Saurer Architekt completes conscientious expansion and conversion of Thun factory building
Swiss architectural studio Johannes Saurer Architekt has completed the conscientious expansion and conversion of a former factory that made stones for watches and later operated as a machine factory. The project conserves the existing space and the expansion meets the needs of its new IT tenants. Maintaining the fabric of the original building, the project reinvigorates and repurposes the tired 20th century factory, making it fit for use in the 21st century.
View before the renovation:
Thomas Telley Tafers
View after the renovation:
Thomas Telley Tafers
The factory is located in an industrial area in the west of Thun, a town and municipality in Switzerland. Built in 1952, it was designed by 35-year-old Thun-based archit... More
News • News • 4 Dec 2023
ARW completes the renovation of a former 1950s Pirelli property in Milan
Italian architectural studio Botticini+ Facchinelli ARW (Architectural Research Workshop) has completed the renovation of a 1950s property in the Bicocca district of Milan. Located at Viale Fulvio Testi 223, the project, known as “Testi 223”, presented an opportunity to restore and redevelop the former Piero Pirelli Institute, a school and factory complex once used by the children of Pirelli employees (Pirelli is a historic Italian tire manufacturer). The complex was originally designed in 1957 by Milanese architect and designer Roberto Menghi. With its particular constructional interest, Testi 223 serves as a thoughtful approach to adaptive reuse (its buildings have been reconfigured as contemporary office spaces).
Federic... More
News • News • 14 Jul 2023
GCA Architects transforms a 19th century Barcelona factory into a light-filled office space
In Barcelona's Eixample district, Spanish architecture and design firm GCA Architects has transformed a former 19th century industrial factory into a light-filled office space. Combining architectural heritage and contemporary design, the transformation carefully maximizes the building’s aesthetic qualities and functionality, and places an emphasis on energy efficiency.
José Hevia
José Hevia
The refurbishment project provides a new home for the Fundació Bofill (Bofill Foundation), a nonprofit organization promoting and extending educational opportunities to overcome social inequalities in Catalonia. GCA Architects regards projects such as this one as “opportunities to enhance the circular... More
Project • By Woonwerk Architecten • Factories
Woonfabriek Hogeweg
Dewaco wants to realize 19 new housing units on the site of former knitwear factory Henri Verhulst.
Tim van de Velde
Tim van de Velde
Traces of the industrial past can be found almost everywhere in the Flemish villages around Brussels and Aalst. Lots of unused factory buildings were demolished without a second thought.
Tim van de Velde
Tim van de Velde
‘Housing Factory Hogeweg’ redevelops this example of cultural heritage into a contemporary project where old and new strengthen each other. 19 new housing units are realized within the footprint of the former factory, leaving space for a new public neighborhood garden in the center of the building block.
Woonwerk Architecten
Woonwerk Architecten... More
News • News • 31 Aug 2022
Blanchette Architectes draw from urban typology to create a harmonious office concept for Vention in Montreal
Inspired by the form of the city, Blanchette Architectes transformed an old carpet factory building in Montreal into a new office space for industrial automation company Vention. Vention’s signature blue is integrated harmoniously throughout, including in the tinted glass of the windows in offices and other closed rooms.
Alex Lesage
The company already occupied a portion of the existing building, with the addition adding more than 15,000 square feet of office space over two levels. The expansion aims to foster a harmonious variety of functions and is conceived as a building within a building.
Alex Lesage
With high ceilings and a large open floor area, the architects were keen to avoid the feeling of... More
News • News • 13 Dec 2021
Vanke-City Growth Hall by More Design Office (MDO)strikes a clear language between old and new
Located in the ‘Eastern Suburb Memory’ in Chengdu, Vanke-City Growth Hall by More Design Office (MDO) is situated within an original building that contained the Hongguang Electronic Tube factory, a state-run factory dating back to 1958 that produced oscilloscopes and kinescopes for the military.
Vincent Wu
The renovation strikes to create a clear language between old and new, leaving traces of the former history while inserting new contrasting elements. The stair is lined with a custom ceramic tile depicting clusters of hibiscus mutabilis found locally in Chengdu.
Vincent Wu
The ground floor is intended to operate as a flexible event space with a pop-up store. Grey tones of the existing structure are balanced w... More
News • News • 14 Apr 2021
The Field: A ‘residence’ for Buddha in a mundane world
The Field is an art gallery located within former aluminium factory buildings in Huli District, Xiamen City, China. Commissioned by the Buddha artist Jiang Sheng, TEAM_BLDG Architects renovated the buildings into a studio and exhibition space. The new purpose-specific space exhibits Sheng’s JIANGJIABAN Buddha statues in a way that reflects humanity alongside the divine and religious.
Courtesy TEAM_BLDG
In collaboration with the client, the architects conceived the architecture as merely a medium to carry the Buddha statues and contain the essence of Buddhism – a ‘residence’ for Buddha in a mundane world.
The character of the original buildings remains visible. These buildings are called Building 1, Building 2,... More
Project • By Space Group Architects • Private Houses
The Old Spratts Factory
Space Group proudly present this refurbished 3,000 square feet residential unit within a converted dog biscuit factory, originally built in 1890. The exciting building complex, called The Old Spratts Factory, falls within a Conservation Area. This particular building used to contain the grain & flour warehouse and two bakeries. It was originally converted very poorly and some of the original features suffered as a result of that, plus the functionality for residential use was also compromised.
Caption
The task was to catapult this amazing space into the 21st Century. This was achieved thanks to a real team effort of a crafty contractor with clever ideas and appreciation for details, visionary clients which very conveniently... More
Project • By House of Sylphina • Private Houses
Dalston House
This two bedroom factory conversion is situated in the heart of trendy Dalston. The house was incredibly cramped and very dark with disproportionately sized rooms. We took this space and created an open plan living area at ground level with large bi-folding doors allowing direct access on to the patio. Upstairs, we reconfigured the space to create two large bright and airy bedrooms. The addition of a glazed wall panel at the top of the stairs allowed light to be brought through into the centre of the building.We wanted to bring a bit of the Dalston edge into the property, so we commissioned the amazing Andy Council to create a large wall mural for the patio, incorporating a number of iconic landmarks into an illustration of a tric... More