Praga Koneser Center
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Praga Koneser Center | |
|---|---|
Centrum Praskie Koneser | |
 A part of the center | |
 Interactive map of the Praga Koneser Center area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Mixed-use |
| Architectural style | Neo-Gothic |
| Location | Ząbkowska 27/31, Warsaw, Poland |
| Coordinates | 52°15′16″N 21°02′38″E / 52.254444°N 21.043889°E |
| Renovation cost | PLN 460m (projected) |
| Owner | BBI Development NFI SA |
| Design and construction | |
| Architects | Juvenes Projekt Sp. z o.o. ARE Sp. z o.o Bulanda & Mucha Architects |
Praga Koneser Center is a complex of residential, office, cultural and entertainment facilities located on the premises of the former Warsaw Vodka Factory "Koneser". The complex is surrounded by Ząbkowska, Nieporęcka, Białostocka and Markowska streets from all sides.[1]
The authors of the Praga Koneser Center project are three architectural firms: Juvenes Projekt Sp. z o.o., ARE Sp. z o.o and Bulanda & Mucha Architects. The execution of the project has been carried out by BBI Development Company.[2][3] The Praga Koneser Center is the result of European architecture trends of blending post-industrial spaces with an urban fabric. The newly built buildings will be harmoniously integrated into the revitalized area of the former factory. Finalization of the project is scheduled for 2016, and the total value of the project is estimated at 460 million PLN.[4][5]
History
Warsaw Vodka Factory "Koneser", originally Spirit Distillation Plant (Polish: Fabryka Oczyszczania Spirytusu), was established in 1897 on the initiative of the Polish-Russian Warsaw Society of Distillation and Sale of Spirits. In those days, on the premises of the factory, apart from industrial buildings, the factory complex included warehouses, workshops, residential buildings and a school. At the time the factory was one of the most technologically advanced production plants in Warsaw. The interwar period was the prime of the factory, which at that time was also referred to as the Monopoly. The factory employed more than 400 people, and its production capacity totalled at quarter of a million bottles of vodka a day. In the 1920s "Koneser" created universally recognizable vodka brands such as: Wyborowa, Luksusowa, Żubrówka, Żytniówka and Siwucha. The further development of the plant was disrupted by the outbreak of World War II. As a result, the production was significantly reduced and subsequently stopped.[6] In the late 1940s, after World War II and necessary revitalization of the factory, the production was resumed and it continued up to the last decade, when the worsening condition of the company led to the end of production and shutdown of the factory.[7] Along with the acquisition of the land by BBI Development the idea of the Praga Koneser Center was born.[8]
