Re-Generator

Center of urban culture re-GENERATOR is located at the former Regeneracija factory in Zabok, as part of a broader process of transforming the industrial zone into a new city center. The ambitious program, including various independent organisations in culture, music, creative industries and civil society, exceeded the capacity of existing spaces. The center, nestled within the dense surrounding development, is organized into three interconnected volumes – one reconstructed and two newly built – forming a landmark with distinctive identity, blurring the boundaries between old and new.

Responding to the complex structure of users and programs, re-GENERATOR is conceived as a cluster of three volumes, named Regenerator, Silos, and Inkubator. The reconstructed warehouse - Regenerator houses a concert hall, a recording studio and rehearsal rooms; Silos contains a café, offices and workspaces; and Inkubator includes an art cinema, exhibition space, workshop areas, a classroom and a mini-hostel. Grouping the program into three volumes allows for multiple modes of use: the parts can operate autonomously or act as one continuous, fluid space. The programmatic and conceptual differentiation of the volumes defines a sequence of spaces, each with its own character – from dark and introverted concert hall, floor-to-ceiling glazed workspaces to translucent vertical void of the Inkubator. Both a single building and a small neighborhood, the center opens toward a central square, partially covered by a pergola and framed by an outdoor stage, creating a new public space for the city.

The materialization of the complex reflects the diversity of its programs through varied, yet primarily ‘industrial’, simple materials. The structure of each volume is a direct expression of its programmatic requirements: the existing steel structure of Regenerator is reinforced and complemented by acoustically optimized walls, adapting the space for the concert hall and rehearsal rooms; in the Silos, the new concrete structure organizes the offices through a rigid concept of frame and infill; while the lightweight steel structure of the Inkubator allows airy spaces for workshops, exhibitions, and the mini-hostel. As a pragmatic contribution to the issues of sustainability, the roof metal sheet from the old building is reused in two different ways – directly as interior cladding, and in negative form as formwork for the textured concrete walls of the concert hall. Material and structure are not only a direct expression of program, they shape the specific atmosphere of each volume.