Dilemma of Czech cities over the remnants of the past industrial era: to demolish or to revitalize?

If you arrive in one of the larger cities, you are most likely to notice industrial buildings or complexes that often dominate the location. Many times they no longer serve their original purpose, and the ravages of time and vandalism have taken their toll on their current repulsive appearance. Factory halls, administrative buildings, warehouses, garages, and tall chimneys are, however, an undeniable reminder of the history of the place and are intertwined with the stories of many of its inhabitants. Daily, the grandparents of today’s generation came here for work, and the products from the local factory made the city’s name famous far and wide. What fate awaits these witnesses of the bygone glory of industry today? One might draw a parallel with a well-known theatrical play: to destroy or to preserve!? Is the solution to level the unsightly ruins to make way for new constructions? Or should we rather modernize the old walls and breathe new life into them as extraordinary environments for cultural centers, offices, and others?

Industrial Heritage in the Context of Sustainable Development

Many Czech cities are struggling with what to do with their industrial heritage. Their decision-making is not aided by the fundamentally different opinions of architects and preservationists, and developers are also at odds with historians regarding the economic viability of potential redevelopment versus the cultural and social significance of the buildings. This challenging yet highly relevant topic was chosen by the organizers of this year's conference Crossroads of Architecture under the subtitle "Industrial Heritage Between Dreams, Opportunities, and Reality."
“The industrial era, which shaped Europe's development for more than two centuries, has left us a legacy that we are trying to deal with today, ” explains the current situation Tomáš Šenberger, chairman of the conference program council, adding: “Does this heritage also have economic potential? Is its preservation interesting from other perspectives – urbanistic or sociological? These topics will also be covered at this year's Crossroads of Architecture.”

To Preserve or to Demolish? That is the Question

The fourth edition of the professional conference will take place on Tuesday, September 25 at the La Fabrika theater in Prague, and representatives from the municipal sector, state administration, and the academic community will be invited to the discussion, alongside representatives of architecture, urbanism, and development. Among others, Alberto di Stefano, who specializes in revitalizing old buildings as a developer and architect, will present his views on this issue. “I have not seen a building that – after a skillful reconstruction – could not be commercially utilized,” he describes his perspective on the transformation of industrial sites for commercial purposes, adding: “Of course, it always depends on the location and possibilities. Sometimes part of the building needs to be demolished, but if the maximum of what is original is preserved, the overall mass, the load-bearing structures, and the characteristic elements of the building, then a new quality emerges – both architectural and economic.”

The Crossroads of Architecture conference will take place on September 25, 2012, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at the theater hall of La Fabrika in Prague 7 – Holešovice. A detailed program and an overview of the invited speakers and specific topics can be found on the conference website: www.krizovatkyarchitektury.cz

Photo author: Ing. arch. František Müller

Patronage: ČKA, ČKAIT, HK ČR, ČVUT, MK, MŽP, MPO
General partner: Beton Brož
Partners: FOR ARCH, La Fabrika
Main media partner and co-organizer: Stavební fórum
Media partners: archiweb.cz, ARCHITEKT, ERA21, ASB, STAVITEL, Moderní obec, PVS, eStav.cz
Organizer: ABF a.s.