Converted entry by Artifictial

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This is my submission for the Converted Contest. My project involved the conversion of an old and abandoned mill factory to a multi-cultural center which extends beyond the building itself to provide people with an opportunity to blend with nature, history and culture.
Unfortunately, in Greece there is a tendency for old buildings to be left abandoned and then be demolished. Due to that practice a lot of buildings of significant architectural importance have been lost especially in bigger cities like Athens and Thessaloniki. That was my starting point, as what I really wanted to achieve was to restore the building to its former glory and establish the link with the past and its history.
By converting the mill and its surroundings to a living cultural space with historical references, I hope that it will establish a bond with history and architecture and eventually upgrade the state of the area which is quite relegated.
The project is developed in three phases; the building itself, the surrounding space of 56.000 sq. feet (5.200 sq. meter) and the interior spaces.
For the building the interference was minimal and it served the point to accent the industrial character of the building by placing metal columns that embrace the building from both sides, thus highlighting its volume and “imposing” quality.
The surrounding area has been designed in a human-centric approach, offering people the opportunity to enjoy both nature and history. For that reason, the open space hosts spare parts of machinery that were used in the factory acting as an open museum.
For the interior spaces I emphasized on the industrial character even at places where a more delicate approach could be assumed to be the best one (ballet room). Those contrasting elements will hopefully stimulate the interest of the visitor towards the building while he is “living” it.
For this project, five spaces were designed; The main entrance, the dancing room, the lounge room, the roof garden and the library.
For the main entrance I have placed a rail track that crosses the building from the one end to the other. This rail track is a tribute to the old factory, which had a dedicated rail track for the goods to be transported.
For the library I followed a different approach, by designing a modern space which is airy and spacious providing the needed calmness for the readers.
On a final note, most of the interior spaces were designed utilizing two stories with a loft connecting them. That seemed the obvious solution to expand the space vertically, since the width of the building posed certain limitations given its public character (only 29.5 ft long – 9 meters).

I hope you enjoy!
Thank you.

P.S. Link to imagery (wetransfer) : https://bit.ly/2TT6NkS

Converted entry by Artifictial

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Finally got some time to continue with modeling and start testing the space. As I was exploring the surroundings and the history of the building, I decided to deviate from my original thoughts (a marble column construction) and I decided to invest on an industrial approach that would better match the history and the original purpose of the building.
I found that cast iron and stone could work together just fine in producing such an industrial look and feel, so I start “demolishing” and building the new environment. It was important to me that the skin of the building remained the same, so what I’m trying to achieve here is to accent the qualities of the stone and the imposing geometric contours, by creating a metal construction that will embrace the building without superimposing itself on the main structure.
At this point of time I think I have almost finished the core elements of the outside of the building although there will be several more amendments. Once I’m done with that, I will continue with the landscaping (certain elements are already in place) and some of the interior spaces as well (especially the roof garden).

These are some AO renders that usually help me pinpoint any modeling discrepancies prior to continuing with materials and texturing.
Still a lot to be done as I’m not even halfway there, but it’s nice to explore as you go!

entry by Artifictial

/in /by

Finally got some time to continue with modeling and start testing the space. As I was exploring the surroundings and the history of the building, I decided to deviate from my original thoughts (a marble column construction) and I decided to invest on an industrial approach that would better match the history and the original purpose of the building.
I found that cast iron and stone could work together just fine in producing such an industrial look and feel, so I start “demolishing” and building the new environment. It was important to me that the skin of the building remained the same, so what I’m trying to achieve here is to accent the qualities of the stone and the imposing geometric contours, by creating a metal construction that will embrace the building without superimposing itself on the main structure.
At this point of time I think I have almost finished the core elements of the outside of the building although there will be several more amendments. Once I’m done with that, I will continue with the landscaping (certain elements are already in place) and some of the interior spaces as well (especially the roof garden).

These are some AO renders that usually help me pinpoint any modeling discrepancies prior to continuing with materials and texturing.
Still a lot to be done as I’m not even halfway there, but it’s nice to explore as you go!

Converted entry by Artifictial

/2 Comments/in /by

A brief history
Valtsani Mills, situated in Thessaloniki, Greece, is an industrial building that was built in 1923 from the Valtsani Brothers and V. Giannopoulos. It was a model of a roller mill with automated production system, equipped with machinery from the Swiss company “Daviere” and the French “Teisset – Rose – Brault”. During its heyday it produced 70 tons of flour per day and it was connected with the railway station through a special dedicated track to facilitate the transportation of grain and flour.
Its decline started in the early ‘60s when there was a change of management and it was finally abandoned resulting to its current state.

The challenge
Its pure geometric form, the clean contours and the imposing volume present a great opportunity to revamp the building preserving its original façade, through a modern approach that will promote communal activities and eventually upgrade the current state of the area which is quite relegated.

The concept
The suggested concept is to transform the building and its surrounding area to a multipurpose cultural center including a library and a botanical center amongst others. Special attention will be given to the surrounding area of 56.000 sq. feet (5.200 sq. meter), where a system of vertical and horizontal vegetation will be developed to create pathways that lead to “living spaces” (possibly themed).

The prelim sketch focuses only on the building and it’s inspired by the shape of an open book to visually relate to the concept of culture and education. This serves as my starting point to further explore the space’s options once I start modeling.

Technical Details (approximation)
Elevation: 69 ft. / 21meters (at its highest point)
Width: 29.5 ft. / 9 meters
Lot Area: 56.000 sq. feet / 5.200 sq. meters
Coordinates: 40°38’58″N 22°54’54″E