Splendors and miseries of renovation, part 3
It's time to finish my set of reports about "harvest" of renovations in Kaunas 2010. Today some renovations of industrial objects:
The renovation of industrial objects is probably the least grateful class of renovations from architectural point of view. Those objects are strictly utilitarian ones so it is difficult to require outstanding results. But if the will exists not bad results could be achieved.
In the renovation of industrial objects are used similar techniques as in the renovation of residential objects. E.g. the administration and laboratories of KG Group (Kauno grudai (Kaunas grain) - a group of food industry enterprises including elevators, mills and chicken farms) has been renovated using styrofoam, plastering and coloring.
Photo from June:
And photos from October:
Better example is the renovation of Orthopedic factory which these days is part of the famous German producer of orthopedic tools Otto Bock. The modern building of factory is from the period 1987-1989.
Last summer the facade still looked like this:
In November view changed significantly. Parade view from the street has been renovated using better materials:
In principle this look I like more:
Their older building from 1970s was renovated too:
Back side was renovated using cheaper materials (sorry I was unable to come closer). May be for the renovation of industrial objects such approach is acceptable:
Other photos are from industrial district of Kaunas called Vilijampole. This district has very many industrial objects and here renovations are probably the most typical and gives the typical view what's going on in this field.
And the most typical technique is placing isolation material and covering it by the "sandwich" type metal plates. I call this technique "metallization". Not the favorite my technique.
For example this is manufacturing works of Kaunas ship repair factory (yes, there is such factory in this town :)) It builds but mainly repairs river ships):
Their production is more interesting thing :)))
Older depots that for many years now are used as the construction materials selling center are renovated using similar technique. In November this part still wasn't renovated (coloring is the result of 1990s chaos):
But other side was just after the renovation:
Exotic example I found at the place of former Kaunas autorepair factory (many years ago this factory did capital repairs of trucks). Today area is occupied by the factory called BCT (Baltec CNC technologies). I don't have any idea what they do these days but it seems that it is related with the production of some machinery. All their industrial buildings are renovated in such a way (also I was unable to come closer):
But their main (it seems administrative) building which is closest to the street isn't renovated:
Even the kindergarten in the Vilijampole was renovated using "metallization" :
Sorry but I like more another style of kindergarten renovations (photo from other district):
One of the corpses belonging to the "Kauno energija" (company controls heating lines and networks here) was renovated last year. Here better technique has been used. Anyway this company must show the good example of efficiently using energy:
Earlier it looked like this:
Some off-topic : this is also "Kauno energija" building. Reconstructed about 5-7 years ago but only few months ago I observed and left in the troubles why they need so many conditioners :))))
Newer buildings of "Vilkas" fur factory (1985-1989) also reflect well the situation in the district. Part of the building still isn't renovated:
While part of the building underwent modernization:
But my favorite is this textile factory. One of the surprises of last economic crises is the revival of some industries such as textiles. It seems that textile factories began their comeback from Asia back to Europe. Of course this is new style of production: many cheaper and simpler operations are done in Asia when the most complicated operations are done in Europe. The record on the entrance to the factory says "Clothing for children: and yes - this is made in Lithuania not made in China clothes" :)) I liked this record so here I want to advertise even their web site www.eoxox.com :))) (Several months ago we got some electronic equipment. Equipment was marked with the records probably difficult to imagine few years ago : "Proud to say - Made in USA").
But back to the renovation. This example probably is best what could we expect from the renovation of industrial object:
Renovated auxiliary building:
It seems that all details were carefully preserved:
This factory is in especially sharp contrast when comparing with their neighbors - another textile factory ....
There are a plenty of space to improve ... Your neighbors showed that :)
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The renovation of industrial objects is probably the least grateful class of renovations from architectural point of view. Those objects are strictly utilitarian ones so it is difficult to require outstanding results. But if the will exists not bad results could be achieved.
In the renovation of industrial objects are used similar techniques as in the renovation of residential objects. E.g. the administration and laboratories of KG Group (Kauno grudai (Kaunas grain) - a group of food industry enterprises including elevators, mills and chicken farms) has been renovated using styrofoam, plastering and coloring.
Photo from June:
And photos from October:
Better example is the renovation of Orthopedic factory which these days is part of the famous German producer of orthopedic tools Otto Bock. The modern building of factory is from the period 1987-1989.
Last summer the facade still looked like this:
In November view changed significantly. Parade view from the street has been renovated using better materials:
In principle this look I like more:
Their older building from 1970s was renovated too:
Back side was renovated using cheaper materials (sorry I was unable to come closer). May be for the renovation of industrial objects such approach is acceptable:
Other photos are from industrial district of Kaunas called Vilijampole. This district has very many industrial objects and here renovations are probably the most typical and gives the typical view what's going on in this field.
And the most typical technique is placing isolation material and covering it by the "sandwich" type metal plates. I call this technique "metallization". Not the favorite my technique.
For example this is manufacturing works of Kaunas ship repair factory (yes, there is such factory in this town :)) It builds but mainly repairs river ships):
Their production is more interesting thing :)))
Older depots that for many years now are used as the construction materials selling center are renovated using similar technique. In November this part still wasn't renovated (coloring is the result of 1990s chaos):
But other side was just after the renovation:
Exotic example I found at the place of former Kaunas autorepair factory (many years ago this factory did capital repairs of trucks). Today area is occupied by the factory called BCT (Baltec CNC technologies). I don't have any idea what they do these days but it seems that it is related with the production of some machinery. All their industrial buildings are renovated in such a way (also I was unable to come closer):
But their main (it seems administrative) building which is closest to the street isn't renovated:
Even the kindergarten in the Vilijampole was renovated using "metallization" :
Sorry but I like more another style of kindergarten renovations (photo from other district):
One of the corpses belonging to the "Kauno energija" (company controls heating lines and networks here) was renovated last year. Here better technique has been used. Anyway this company must show the good example of efficiently using energy:
Earlier it looked like this:
Some off-topic : this is also "Kauno energija" building. Reconstructed about 5-7 years ago but only few months ago I observed and left in the troubles why they need so many conditioners :))))
Newer buildings of "Vilkas" fur factory (1985-1989) also reflect well the situation in the district. Part of the building still isn't renovated:
While part of the building underwent modernization:
But my favorite is this textile factory. One of the surprises of last economic crises is the revival of some industries such as textiles. It seems that textile factories began their comeback from Asia back to Europe. Of course this is new style of production: many cheaper and simpler operations are done in Asia when the most complicated operations are done in Europe. The record on the entrance to the factory says "Clothing for children: and yes - this is made in Lithuania not made in China clothes" :)) I liked this record so here I want to advertise even their web site www.eoxox.com :))) (Several months ago we got some electronic equipment. Equipment was marked with the records probably difficult to imagine few years ago : "Proud to say - Made in USA").
But back to the renovation. This example probably is best what could we expect from the renovation of industrial object:
Renovated auxiliary building:
It seems that all details were carefully preserved:
This factory is in especially sharp contrast when comparing with their neighbors - another textile factory ....
There are a plenty of space to improve ... Your neighbors showed that :)
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