FABRIKA48 fascinates with its atmosphere, modern art and culinary experience in one single space. We are proud that we have managed to vitalize the national cultural monument and preserve its genius loci at the same time.
We sensitively reconstructed the building and turned it into a modern co-working center, which has no equivalent in Košice. The title of BEST CO-SOCIAL-WORKING COMMUNITY also confirms that we succeeded. FABRIKA48 von the title on CIJ Award of 2021 which is competition for the best projects, transactions, and companies in the field of construction, real estate, and development.
The unique FABRIKA48 building can be found in Košice, on the street Južná trieda 48. It is a national cultural monument, deeply connected with its past and the original use of this building. The spirit of the FABRIKA48 will be forever associated with Franck’s coffee factory, whose story began in 1893. At that time, warehouses were concentrated in the original, two-story building, which required specific conditions.
The building could not have large windows in order to minimalize the effects of the external environment which would reduce the quality of the coffee. Therefore, the windows that white-out the entire interior today are new. We installed them during the reconstruction. We used the external vaults of the light-proof windows.
In the nineties, a steel structure was installed in the premises. To the original two floors was added a third floor. The bakery was created from the coffee warehouse. The company store, which were situated in the current Bakoš Bistro, is still remembered by the residents of Košice.
Today, the FABRIKA48 project consists of three parts that complement each other and functionally fit like a puzzle. The base is a showroom of interior furniture in the form of four furnished apartments, in which business partners participated. Another part is the coworking spaces, which offer to clients an undisturbed working environment with the possibility of using the meeting rooms. Bakoš Bistro, as the third in a row, is a direct part of the building. It offers restaurant services for the public and also a unique gastronomic experience for all visitors in Košice.
How did we manage to maintain the spirit of the FABRIKA48 project?
The key to creating a unique atmosphere was the recycling and upcycling of the individual elements that belonged to the building. During the demolition work, we sorted out many materials that could be further worked with and integrated them back into the building. We used old bricks and original wood from the roof and floor, as well as steel bearer and metal stairs. We filled the damaged perimeter and bearing walls and the holes in them with the original bricks from the demolished light- proof windows.
The cut steel bearers, which remained after the creation of the gallery between the two floors, form the bearing structures of the two main staircases. In addition to the bearers, the original wood from the roof was also used for the stairs. Treads and stair landings were created from them. Nowadays, you can find the original wood as part of several interior elements. We also used it for a reception desk and for almost all the coworking tables and tables in Bistro. We remodelled the metal staircase, which was originally situated in the interior, into an exterior fire escape. Today it is located on the north facade of the building.
The architectural design is the work of skilled hands of Ing.arch.Michal Olejňák and Ing.arch. Patricia Beck. Later, during the reconstruction, Ing.arch. Patrik Panda, who supervised the construction processes, joined them.
The result of combination of traditional architecture, construction processes and materials used with new technologies is a unique project. The genius loci of this building represents what can no longer be achieved with today’s modern architecture. During the reconstruction, we used the most modern technologies that are currently used in the construction of new low-energy and intelligent buildings. Floor heating, building cooling, air recuperation, intelligent wiring and filter plant are the most important technologies we have used in the reconstruction of a building that is more than 100 years old. We can responsibly say that the building tricks with the body. The building uses the best latest technologies.
You can find out more about FABRIKA48’s life on fabrika48.sk and Instagram and Facebook social networks.
You are kindly welcome to enjoy the unique atmosphere of FABRIKA48 and taste some of the specialties of the gourmet Bakoš Bistro. If you have a Facbric48 far away, you can at least go here virtually thanks to a tour of GoogleMaps.