InGrid - Schneider Electric Hub. Transformation of the Novkabel Factory Production Hall

Novkabel was a 20th century socially sanctified industrial giant and a symbol of the city of Novi Sad, second largest city in Serbia. It consciously invested not only in raising the quality of working and living conditions of its employees but also worked for the benefit of the entire community. The concept of transformation that we present is based on the recognition, conservation and modern, purposeful reinterpretation of spatial and functional qualities of open surfaces as well as the specific atmosphere of the industrial hall and architectural and structural elements they build.

Maintaining the continuity of values was one of our most important tasks. The concept of transformation was intended to be not only a formal act of reusing the existing physical structure, but a symbolic act of representing the integrity of the historical socio-economic values that the old Novkabel factory had in the memory of citizens. This is why we decided to treat the first hall of the complex as a monument, although the production halls of the Novkabel complex have negligible architectural value. For a large factory hall to fit the purpose of a modern office space daylight needs to find a way into the depth of the interior. This is why the entire space of the hall was redefined by the four inner atriums, intended and designed as open green gardens where employees can rest or work. The entire functional organization stems from the concept of incorporating greenery, translucence, natural ventilation and light into the working space.

The project integrates responsible land use planning, preserves the natural and built environment, and minimizes carbon emissions in production and ongoing use. It is a 11000 sqm existing industrial hall that was transformed without occupying more unbuilt area, but with creating new open areas inside. Circularity was embedded into the construction process, reusing all dismantled material from the construction site. For example, the demolished concrete was crushed and reused for the sub-base layers beneath the floor slab. It is a regional exemplar for adaptive reuse of 20th-century era industrial spaces, many of which are finishing their life or in disrepair. It shows how industrial halls of this type could be transformed into a variety of other typologies and bring new economic activity to industrial zones sustainably.