Pieštany Old Power Plant

Hands-on science center and power generation museum in the city of Pieštany (80 km NW from the capital of Bratislava) has centered on a landmark building of a municipal power station built in 1906 from the Registry of the Slovak National Monuments. The main and most important principle of the project are minimal changes to the original construction, retaining all the original features, structure and interior technical elements with sensitive adaptation to the new facility. The Elektrarna Pieštany project has expanded its original mission by preservation of a remarkable piece of industrial heritage and interactive education in field of electricity.

Power plant of Pieštany was built in 1906. The object is heritage listed. The main principle of the preservation project are minimal changes into the original constructions of power plant, retaining all original structures, features and interior technical elements and sensitive adaptation of the new facility. Added new structures are noninvasive and reversible. Preservation effort started in 2008 with the announcement of a public competition of architecture students for reconstruction of former power plant in Pieštany, organized in Bratislava in 2008. EON Foundation and Design Factory has continued working with the twomember winning team (architecture students Michal Ganobjak and Vladimir Hain), in cooperation with architects Zuzana Zacharova, Martin Pasko from ADOM. M Studio under the consultancy with of Associate Professor Eva Kralova from Faculty of Architecture SUT in Bratislava. From historical sources it is known that for the construction of municipal Power plant taken place public money collection. Rumors that every citizen of Pieštany had his/her own brick. This idea is transformed into project. From the beginning there is ambition of reuse of abandoned and unused building not only by accessibility for wide public, but also enable to active use and participation of public. Here, where once was the site of energy production and transformation, the idea of the electricity sector continues. New cultural and educational center offers interactive education to visitors what it is the energy, how can be used, saved and in which type can be converted. Reversible extension of power plant, new minimalistic reversible glazed roofextension, barrierfree rooftop with terrace and new underground level were continuously consulted and the resulting solution was approved by the Regional Monument Board. The Elektrarna Pieštany project has expanded its original mission by preservation and active reuse of a remarkable piece of industrial heritage.

Project reduces energy demands while maintaining historical appearance of this national cultural monument of power plant. Sustainable aspects: large atrium for heat gains (winter) and buffering zone between interior and exterior as natural exchanger of large volume of air; new flooring with energy efficient heating cable. Floor area Original condition 643 m² Project together 1.438 m² Restoration value 795 m² Site Area: 1.550 m²