The Heating Plant

The Heating Plant has already been recognised by the independent artists and their audience as an inspiring space for contemporary art forms. This is why we chose to preserve the spirit of the place. The project emphasises the identity of the Heating Plant, which invites the public to meet art and nature at an unusual urban place, to discover unexpected industrial spaces and structures behind and under the hills. A new intervention is proposed, which reflects the tendency of gradual change of cultural centres: from institutions, in which art is “served up” to the public, to hubs for active and spontaneous communication.
The core message of the project is interaction. A new recognisable mass in the complex is introduced, framed by the structure of the industrial hall. Its smooth mirror surface becomes the counterpoint of the hard and rough texture of the old materials. The mass is present and absent at the same time. The mirror interacts spatially with the environment and functionally with what is happening. The image changes with the seasons, with the light and with the events outside. Through the mirror the visitor passes in an alternative world. At the mirror, emotions multiply. In front of the mirror the spectators become performers, and actors become audience.
The design follows the idea of simplicity markedly involving the industrial theme. The interventions are minimal and clear, and showcase the specific charm of industrial spaces. The open areas are flexible and do not determine rigid functions, which allows the place to be constantly redefined by people.
The Heating Plant gains a new visual identity without imposing it. The glare of the mirror attracts and provokes the desire to find out what lies beyond. A new architectural environment is created, where interactions elevate the experience.