Page 18 - Designing Ways 253

TRANSFOR-
MATION

Sugar Factory Żnin

A Sugar Factory Żnin Transformed Into a he Żnin sugar factory was built
in the late 19th century. Up until
Hotel Complex T2004, it operated producing
sugar from beets. As a result of industrial
restructuring, it was closed down and the
Żnin, Poland buildings of the complex were ultimately
designated for demolition. ARCHE
subsequently purchased the complex
with the goal of renovating the factory
and reviving the valuable, but collapsing
buildings, while endeavoring to respect
their historical value, the changes made to
them over generations, and their aesthetic
and technical diversity.
From the onset of the project, the firm
focused on preserving the history of the
building by retaining almost all elements
of the old factory, right down to its screws
and sheet scraps. Although large elements
of the old sugar factory now interact with
new functions, they are still quite visible.
Smaller elements were also maintained and
incorporated into the interior design, and
collectively, the whole project has retained
its natural authenticity. Upon entering the
main building, the first impression is that it
still serves as a "factory", with a saturation
of stimuli ranging from rough simplicity to
emotional characteristics of intimacy and
warmth.
Mastering the form of such a complex
building proved to be a design challenge,
and creating a layout of functions and
communication within the vast space
was time consuming. Nevertheless, the
Restaurant

18 Issue 253 • dw