REVITALIZATION OF THE TOBACCO FACTORY

Project idea

Breathing New Life into Old Walls: The Philosophy of Conservative Regeneration
The main concept of the project is the adaptive reuse of a former industrial "brownfield" and its conversion into a human-scale pedestrian quarter based on the principles of New Urbanism. The layout is designed to eliminate the closed factory block, which historically acted as a "spatial clot," and return it to the citizens as an open, barrier-free urban fabric. The project redefines the relationship between history and modern life, implementing a "surgical intervention": removing non-valued post-Soviet structures while placing the heritage red-brick objects at the center of a new social and cultural ecosystem.

Project description

The Human-Scale Quarter and the Cultural and Exhibition Center
The master plan introduces a single, straight pedestrian street integrated into a structured regular grid, directly cutting through the block and culminating in an inner public square designed as an "open-air living room." The new residential buildings (3–5 floors) strictly respect the UNESCO 15-meter height limit and frame this central promenade with a contextual dialogue of two facade typologies: elegant Neoclassicism and Industrial Loft. They are united by unique double-decker covered arcades that protect pedestrian pathways while offering linear green terraces on the upper level. The functional core is an agile Cultural and Exhibition Center housed inside a heritage 19th-century workshop. By introducing a lightweight glass extension with a double-height void, the design sets a vertical functional mix: event spaces on the ground floor, a panoramic loft-cafe on the second, and a quiet student co-working on the third floor.

Technical information

A Tectonic Dialogue: Brick, Stucco, and High-Tech Glazing
The project emphasizes a tactile, high-contrast material palette that bridges traditional and modern craftsmanship. The new "industrial-style" residential buildings are clad in high-quality red terracotta clinker brick, mimicking the authentic 18th-century masonry of the historic workshop. Conversely, the neoclassical buildings feature smooth, mineral decorative stucco in warm ivory tones, harmonizing with the adjacent historic estate. The ground-floor covered arcades are made of pristine white structural concrete. The public square utilizes the Shared Space concept with high-grade, multi-textured granite paving in geometric patterns for visual zoning without barriers. The new intervention on the heritage workshop consists of a minimalist, high-tech curtain wall system using lightweight white steel profiles and double-glazed energy-efficient glass, ensuring maximum transparency for the double-height space.

Documentation

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