This project was the renovation of a historical printing factory, that has been in business for 101 years, into a multi-purpose studio roughly 30 years after the construction of their new building. 

The space continues to be owned by the same company and it is the employees of the printing factory that will operate the studio moving forward. We planned the space so that it can accommodate a variety of uses, taking into account the future diversification of the clients’ offer and the visual language of the space reflects this referencing both the factory’s history and the changes to come. 

The flexibility of the space allows for multi-purpose use and increases the longevity of the renovation. The re-use of existing materials within the space is environmentally friendly and minimised both waste and the need for new materials. 

The space is designed to provide maximum utilisation of a relatively small space. The use of soft dividers like curtains allows the space to be flexibly divided. The space retains all the features of its factory use. There are elements in the space that have been visually and/or textually modified that coexist with elements and features that remain exactly as they were to create a variety of expressions. The space was in use as a printing factory until the day before construction began–we placed new materials on top of the memory of the printing factory as we dismantled it. 

For the exterior entrance, we only removed some of the existing tiles and created an entirely new expression through the mixture of new and old tiles juxtaposed alongside each other. The area beyond the entrance retains some of the existing features of the space, such as the original floor, while new spatial elements renew the overall impression. 

The ‘crazy pattern’ curtain, which is symbolic of the new value system in which materials of various orientations, properties, and textures coexist, draws a soft boundary between the entrance area, which predominantly retains the spaces existing features, and the new hall beyond. 

The structure of the hall was left as is and we applied a special finish that causes a chemical reaction to the floor, creating a material that reflects even the movement of the hands and brings a raw expression of change to the space. 

This special finish, a metaphor for an action that cannot be undone, also embodies and immortalizes the actions and gestures made to create the new space. The wood-wool cement boards on the walls are surface treated and arranged to be both functional and tile-like in design. 

The stage area has curtains on all four sides that open and close freely to control the space, while the stage itself is modular and portable by design, allowing it to be stored in the adjacent garage.