TechTower Plzeň
TechTower is one of the most modern technology parks in the Czech Republic.
The unique project of converting the former Pilsen brewery building is the work of architect Tereza Vojtěšková from the Vojtěšek architects studio along with architect Milan Varvařovský.
Their goal was from the initial design variants for the reconstruction to the interior layout, to primarily build on the industrial legacy of the building and enable its complete and user-attractive functionality in the future.
The building, successfully completed at the beginning of this year, provides facilities and offices for innovative companies, technology enthusiasts, programmers, and budding entrepreneurs. Coworking spaces, a multifunctional hall, a unique testing water tank, and prototype workshops co-create a place where ideas become reality.
The first step towards renewal was demolition
Unlike today's spaces for work and meeting, the interior originally served for above-ground storage of massive brewery barrels. The original facades were thus blind, almost without windows.
The proposal itself was preceded by a dialogue with representatives of heritage care, technology, and experts in building statics. During this, it was possible to advocate for and subsequently incorporate the opening of the building's facades by creating window openings. Thanks to generous windows with slightly historicizing divisions that refer to the typology of the originally industrial building, it was possible to ensure sufficient natural light for the future use of the interior.
Interior layout
The original purpose of the building posed several challenges for arranging new functions and the interior layout. The first step towards the conversion was therefore the effort for both horizontal and vertical connectivity of individual parts of the building.
This was followed by the organization of individual internal functions within the object, as well as the solution of its connections to the surrounding outdoor areas. It is now possible, for example, to enter the building from several directions and locations, depending on the occasion and purpose of the visit.
The lower northern part of the object oriented towards Sladová Street serves as the main entrance highlighted by a generous entrance ramp. The ground floor is primarily designed for public use. Here, there is a reception, a multifunctional hall with a capacity of up to 300 people, allowing a wide range of cultural and educational events, conference rooms, and workshops. All this includes the necessary operational, hygienic, and culinary facilities.
The upper floors primarily contain office spaces with a possible independent entrance and a capacity of up to 500 workstations, supplemented by the necessary capacity of meeting rooms.
The seventh floor, where the malting kiln was historically located, has been transformed into a second multifunctional space, the so-called SeedUp Space, for informal meetings, gatherings, and social and representative events of the building's users. The usable space is further expanded by a roof terrace, offering a generous view of the surrounding city panorama.
The height dominant of the TechTower complex, originally a water tower, has been transformed into an intimate gallery, whose small area is balanced by an unmistakable atmosphere.
The composition of internal functions is supplemented by virtual reality laboratories, workshops for the development and testing of drones, as well as a testing water tank running through the height of four floors, including complete technological and operational facilities.
Increase in usable area capacity
The path to the necessary increase in office usable space was offered by utilizing the potential of the massive reinforced concrete structures of the original building. Thanks to them, it was possible to generously adjust the clear height of the rooms in the form of new inserted floors, which increased the usable area by hundreds of square meters.
Interior solution
Through the executive and implementation documentation of the interior, architect Tereza Vojtěšková was able to at least partially adhere to the principles proposed in the architectural study.
The main effort within the extensive object was to maintain a uniform expressive and economically rational concept. For this reason, where the atypical layout and operations allowed, there was an insertion of subtly varied, yet repeating elements. Whether it concerns receptions, seating boxes, lockers, or kitchenettes in offices.
In all cases, the custom-made furniture, i.e., reception, seating boxes in the corridors, bar, complete equipment with tables and seating furniture, all storage furniture, kitchenettes, lounge equipment, and small seating furniture, adheres to a uniform material and color palette combining plywood with white surfaces and colorfully accentuated upholstery.
Inserted structures in the interior are left in black and sometimes supplemented with transparent glass or frosted infill panels.
The character and atmosphere of the interior are not only created by the designed furniture, but also by the unobtrusive installations of technical and technological equipment. Their coordination along with lighting and the selection of terminal elements were not part of the interior project. Unlike the design of the arrangement and use of the outdoor terraces for which atypical seating benches and other outdoor equipment were designed for spending both working and leisure time by users and visitors of the building.
History
The Czech Pilsner brewery of the joint-stock company Světovar was once one of the most modern breweries in Austria-Hungary.
The project and execution of the building were entrusted to the Pilsen construction company Müller and Kapsa. Construction, overseen by architect Bohuslav Strébl, began in 1910. For its time, unique reinforced concrete structures were used in construction. The internal equipment was mainly provided by the Prague company Kolbenka.
Unlike the historical buildings of the Pilsner Urquell, which have constantly evolved and adapted to new technologies and production methods since their inception, the Světovar building was constructed as a completely new, modern structure at its time, designed and fully adapted to its purpose.
The entire complex served for above-ground vertical storage and subsequent filling of beer barrels. Production here was halted around the time of World War II; since then, the building has served various purposes, including as a tank repair shop and military storage. Since approximately the second half of the 1990s, it has not been actively used.
In 2008, the Světovar complex was declared a cultural monument.
Future development of the area
The Světovar complex was separated from the surrounding city by a high brick wall for a large part of its history. The design from the very beginning counted on its integration into the life of the city, and thus not only with its opening to its surroundings but also with further future construction development.
The entire area is currently a development zone, where the construction of residential buildings, offices, and public facilities is planned. This intention of the city was accommodated in the design of the surrounding paved areas and newly planted greenery.
The unique project of converting the former Pilsen brewery building is the work of architect Tereza Vojtěšková from the Vojtěšek architects studio along with architect Milan Varvařovský.
Their goal was from the initial design variants for the reconstruction to the interior layout, to primarily build on the industrial legacy of the building and enable its complete and user-attractive functionality in the future.
The building, successfully completed at the beginning of this year, provides facilities and offices for innovative companies, technology enthusiasts, programmers, and budding entrepreneurs. Coworking spaces, a multifunctional hall, a unique testing water tank, and prototype workshops co-create a place where ideas become reality.
The first step towards renewal was demolition
Unlike today's spaces for work and meeting, the interior originally served for above-ground storage of massive brewery barrels. The original facades were thus blind, almost without windows.
The proposal itself was preceded by a dialogue with representatives of heritage care, technology, and experts in building statics. During this, it was possible to advocate for and subsequently incorporate the opening of the building's facades by creating window openings. Thanks to generous windows with slightly historicizing divisions that refer to the typology of the originally industrial building, it was possible to ensure sufficient natural light for the future use of the interior.
Interior layout
The original purpose of the building posed several challenges for arranging new functions and the interior layout. The first step towards the conversion was therefore the effort for both horizontal and vertical connectivity of individual parts of the building.
This was followed by the organization of individual internal functions within the object, as well as the solution of its connections to the surrounding outdoor areas. It is now possible, for example, to enter the building from several directions and locations, depending on the occasion and purpose of the visit.
The lower northern part of the object oriented towards Sladová Street serves as the main entrance highlighted by a generous entrance ramp. The ground floor is primarily designed for public use. Here, there is a reception, a multifunctional hall with a capacity of up to 300 people, allowing a wide range of cultural and educational events, conference rooms, and workshops. All this includes the necessary operational, hygienic, and culinary facilities.
The upper floors primarily contain office spaces with a possible independent entrance and a capacity of up to 500 workstations, supplemented by the necessary capacity of meeting rooms.
The seventh floor, where the malting kiln was historically located, has been transformed into a second multifunctional space, the so-called SeedUp Space, for informal meetings, gatherings, and social and representative events of the building's users. The usable space is further expanded by a roof terrace, offering a generous view of the surrounding city panorama.
The height dominant of the TechTower complex, originally a water tower, has been transformed into an intimate gallery, whose small area is balanced by an unmistakable atmosphere.
The composition of internal functions is supplemented by virtual reality laboratories, workshops for the development and testing of drones, as well as a testing water tank running through the height of four floors, including complete technological and operational facilities.
Increase in usable area capacity
The path to the necessary increase in office usable space was offered by utilizing the potential of the massive reinforced concrete structures of the original building. Thanks to them, it was possible to generously adjust the clear height of the rooms in the form of new inserted floors, which increased the usable area by hundreds of square meters.
Interior solution
Through the executive and implementation documentation of the interior, architect Tereza Vojtěšková was able to at least partially adhere to the principles proposed in the architectural study.
The main effort within the extensive object was to maintain a uniform expressive and economically rational concept. For this reason, where the atypical layout and operations allowed, there was an insertion of subtly varied, yet repeating elements. Whether it concerns receptions, seating boxes, lockers, or kitchenettes in offices.
In all cases, the custom-made furniture, i.e., reception, seating boxes in the corridors, bar, complete equipment with tables and seating furniture, all storage furniture, kitchenettes, lounge equipment, and small seating furniture, adheres to a uniform material and color palette combining plywood with white surfaces and colorfully accentuated upholstery.
Inserted structures in the interior are left in black and sometimes supplemented with transparent glass or frosted infill panels.
The character and atmosphere of the interior are not only created by the designed furniture, but also by the unobtrusive installations of technical and technological equipment. Their coordination along with lighting and the selection of terminal elements were not part of the interior project. Unlike the design of the arrangement and use of the outdoor terraces for which atypical seating benches and other outdoor equipment were designed for spending both working and leisure time by users and visitors of the building.
History
The Czech Pilsner brewery of the joint-stock company Světovar was once one of the most modern breweries in Austria-Hungary.
The project and execution of the building were entrusted to the Pilsen construction company Müller and Kapsa. Construction, overseen by architect Bohuslav Strébl, began in 1910. For its time, unique reinforced concrete structures were used in construction. The internal equipment was mainly provided by the Prague company Kolbenka.
Unlike the historical buildings of the Pilsner Urquell, which have constantly evolved and adapted to new technologies and production methods since their inception, the Světovar building was constructed as a completely new, modern structure at its time, designed and fully adapted to its purpose.
The entire complex served for above-ground vertical storage and subsequent filling of beer barrels. Production here was halted around the time of World War II; since then, the building has served various purposes, including as a tank repair shop and military storage. Since approximately the second half of the 1990s, it has not been actively used.
In 2008, the Světovar complex was declared a cultural monument.
Future development of the area
The Světovar complex was separated from the surrounding city by a high brick wall for a large part of its history. The design from the very beginning counted on its integration into the life of the city, and thus not only with its opening to its surroundings but also with further future construction development.
The entire area is currently a development zone, where the construction of residential buildings, offices, and public facilities is planned. This intention of the city was accommodated in the design of the surrounding paved areas and newly planted greenery.
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