The Urban Factory

The Urban Factory considers three main themes and tools of ‘time’, ‘threshold’ and ‘material culture’ as means to go beyond the regular way of dealing with large existing introverted buildings in the heart of city centers. It is a sustainable method and social alternative to demolition, a way of connecting the building back to the city center, creating places for people as a way to make the urban humane. Creating opportunities for people to interact at the threshold of city-building and building-interior, to allow for a more playful interaction between people, buildings and cities. By increasing threshold moments the building is no longer considered as a building but as an urban block. Also by designing the interior circulation space as a public route, climate buffer and polyvalent extra space, people are allowed to engage with different uses of the building. Two main material interventions were made that anchors the building in its context. The more durable and expensive intervention of the facade as it represents itself towards the city and the cheaper more temporary interior facades that allows for change and engagement. Mostly the material considerations allows for complementing the time factor of the existing by juxtaposing the rough and damaged concrete structure. We are convinced by things that show character by evolution, so by emphasizing these qualities we get to love these buildings.Architecture, Urbanism and Building Sciences | Interiors Buildings Citie