The exhibition Industrial Traces opens on September 6

In Prague, August 25, 2005 - On September 6, the first exhibition of the 3rd International Biennale Industrial Traces will be opened to the public at the Karlín Studios. The exhibition, bearing the same name as the entire biennale, will showcase around thirty industrial objects that have been taken up by investors and architects over the last five years, typically saving them from extinction. The exhibition at the Karlín Studios (Křižíkova 638, next to Corsa) will be open until October 5, from Tuesday to Sunday, 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM. The main program of the Industrial Traces biennale will take place in Prague and Kladno from September 19 to 24.

The Industrial Traces exhibition provides a detailed overview of selected works by leading Czech and foreign architects and examples of various ways of utilizing industrial buildings over the past five years in our country. The charm of industrial architecture is beginning to attract more and more investors and developers - increasingly, attractive apartments - lofts, prestigious office buildings, galleries, and theater halls are starting to emerge in place of dilapidated factory buildings.

"Examples of new uses for abandoned industrial objects are still growing only slowly. The buildings featured in the exhibition are, in a way, pioneers of a trend whose contribution to enriching the urban environment has been increasingly evident for many years in countries like Great Britain, Germany, and the Netherlands. The presented realizations and projects are not united by a single architectural opinion, but they do convince us of the rich range of possibilities for new uses, from small, technically and financially undemanding investments to large-scale plans for transforming entire neighborhoods. Above all, the exhibition aims to invigorate the imagination and highlight the unique atmosphere and values worth utilizing," says Benjamin Fragner from the Research Center for Industrial Heritage of the Czech Technical University and one of the curators of the exhibition.

The exhibition will present completed and projected conversions from across the republic. For example, from Prague, the reconstruction of the Karlín Boiler House by Italian architect Claudio Silvestrin, Machinehouse by the Czech studio QARTA, or Corso Karlín by Ricardo Bofill and other architects. There will also be a reconstruction of the former brewery in Holešovice (now the headquarters of the Ringier publishing house) by CMC Architects, as well as a project for the former ham factory (now M-Factory) by the Olgoj Chorchoj studio. Among the Prague realizations, there will also be the project of the City Library of Prague 5, designed by the creators from the Atrea studio in the former marketplace, Soundsquare - a sound post-production studio by Olgoj Chorchoj, Museum Kampa, the former Edison transformer station by leading domestic author Ladislav Lábus, and others. Last but not least, visitors will learn about the details of the exhibition venue itself - Karlín Studios, which was created in the former ČKD hall thanks to Italian architect and builder Alberto di Stefano.
Brno is represented at the exhibition by the recently opened Vaňkovka (a modern art gallery, administration, and shopping gallery), a former textile factory Moravan, and the current headquarters of the Brno municipal communications. Other successful transformations of industrial objects include the European Training Center YMCA, created according to the design of Josef Pleskot and others in the former brewery in Litomyšl, or the cultural center in the historic salt warehouse in České Budějovice.
An overview of all the exhibited objects is included in this press release.

Each project in the Industrial Traces exhibition is presented on a special panel with photographs, visualizations, plans, and accompanying texts. A catalog in Czech and English has been published for the exhibition, which presents all the showcased projects.
The curators of the exhibition are Benjamin Fragner and Alena Hanzlová. The exhibition is organized by the Research Center for Industrial Heritage of the Czech Technical University in Prague. The exhibition is open to the public for free.

The 3rd Biennale of Industrial Traces takes place from September 19 to 24 in Prague and Kladno. As part of the international biennale, excursions will also be held to selected Prague realizations represented at the exhibition.

The aim of the entire project is to explore and increase the popularity of utilizing objects with an industrial past for new purposes. In the biennale program, participants will find not only professional conferences and excursions but also theater performances, performances, exhibitions, and concerts taking place in unconventional locations with an industrial spirit. The main tent of the biennale is the former wastewater treatment plant in Bubenč, now the Eco-Technical Museum.

Details about the program of the Industrial Traces biennale can be found at http://www.industrialnistopy.cz.

The 3rd International Biennale of Industrial Traces is organized by the Research Center for Industrial Heritage of the Czech Technical University in Prague, the College for Technical Monuments of ČKAIT & ČSSI, the Statutory City of Kladno, and the mamapapa association. It is held under the patronage of the Minister of Culture of the Czech Republic and with direct financial support from the International Visegrad Fund (IVF).

Overview of Exhibited Objects:

Museum Kampa / Sovovy mlýny
authors: Václav Cígler, Marian Karel, Michal Motyčka, Habena, s.r.o.
Prague 1, Kampa

Soundsquare, a.s. - sound post-production studio / printer
authors: Jan Rosický, Michal Froněk, Jan Němeček, Olgoj Chorchoj
Prague 2 - New Town

Edison Transformer Station, offices, apartments
authors: Ladislav Lábus
Prague 1, Jeruzalémská Street

Korunní dvůr apartments, shops, restaurants / Korunní Brewery
authors: CMC Architects
Prague 2 - Vinohrady

Nuselský Mill, lofts, offices
authors: Alberto di Stefano, Daniel Fišer
Prague 4 - Nusle

Offices / Boiler House No. 17 in the complex of Pražská plynárenská, a.s.
authors: Karel Scheib, Tomáš Velinský, studio ANTA, s.r.o.
Prague 4 - Michle, U Plynárny 500

City Library Prague 5 / Smíchov Marketplace
authors: Jiří Grosz, Marek Houska, Radka Strnádková, ATREA, s.r.o.
Prague 5 - Smíchov, Náměstí 14. října

Gallery Futura Project / model workshop
author: Alberto di Stefano
Prague 5 - Smíchov

AP Gallery, headquarters of the AP architectural studio / water meter factory
authors: Richard Doležal, Josef Pleskot, Petr Malinský
Prague 7 - Holešovice, Komunardů 3

Loft in Holešovice / production hall
authors: Daniela Polubědovová, Stanislav Fiala
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Headquarters of the advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather / Bottling plant and soda factory of Zátka
authors: CMC architects, Jiran-Kohout architects, s.r.o.
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Holešovice Arena, Ringier offices, apartments, shops, offices / Holešovice Brewery
authors: CMC Architects
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Café Holport, headquarters of Vitra, Konsepti / pressure vessel factory
authors: Stanislav Fiala, Daniela Polubědovová, D3A
Prague 7 - Holešovice, Komunardů 32

Administrative building in Dělnická
authors: Tomáš Novotný, KAVA
Prague 7 - Holešovice

La Fabrika, multicultural center / foundry
authors: Tomáš Novotný, KAVA
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Headquarters of the D3A architectural office / furniture factory
authors: Olgoj Chorchoj
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Gallery of Modern Art
author: Ivan Kroupa
Prague 7 - Holešovice

M-Factory, offices, apartments / Prague ham factory
authors: Olgoj Chorchoj
Prague 7 - Holešovice

Office Building Kotelna / ČKD Boiler House
authors: Claudio Silvestrin, Lorenzo Parilli, Oliver Kampshoff, Claudio Silvestrin Architects, London, AED Project, s.r.o., Prague
Prague 8, Pernerova 55

Machinehouse Karlin / ČKD Energy Center
authors: Jiří Řezák, Martin A. Tomáš, Alexandra Prymusová, studio Qarta
Prague 8 - Karlín, Pernerova 57

Karlín Studios, modern art gallery and studios for young artists / ČKD production hall
author: Alberto di Stefano
Prague 8 - Karlín

Corso Karlín / industrial hall ČKD
authors: Ricardo Bofill, Jean-Pierre Carniaux, José María Rocías, studio Taller de Arquitectura, association of studios Atrea - Qarta
Prague 8 - Karlín Křižíkova 237

Studio UPP (Universal Post Production) / bakery
author: Šimon Caban
Prague - Vršovice, Žitomírská Street

Fastherm / Automobile Assembly Workshop Praga
authors: Stanislav Fiala, Daniela Polubědovová, D3A
Prague 10 - Strašnice

Vaňkovka, multicultural center, shopping gallery / Machine Factory of Friedrich Wannieck
authors: Atelier D.R.N.H. - Antonín Novák, Petr Valenta, Karel Spáčil, Zuzana Morávková; Petr Hrůša, Petr Pelčák, Lenka Musilová, Renate Müller, ECE Hamburg
Brno, Zvonařka

Moravan, apartments / textile factory
author: Tomáš Šenberger
Brno

Headquarters of the Brno municipal communications / slaughterhouse
author: Barbora Jenčková
Brno

C.k. salt warehouse, exhibition and concert space / salt storage
authors: J. Střítecký, M. Krupauer, Atelier 8000
České Budějovice

European Training Center YMCA / castle brewery
authors: Josef Pleskot, Pavel Fanta, Daniel Kříž, AP atelier
Litomyšl

Mine Hlubina, open-air museum, gallery
author: Leo Chřibek
Ostrava

Center for Children's Illustration, city museum, archive / malt house
authors: Adlatus
Písek

Institute for Business and Innovation Activities / production building No. 23 (n.p. Svit)
author: Mudřík
Zlín