Revitalization of Automatic Mills
in Pardubice,
design: Šépka architekti
The former Winternitz Automatic Mills in Pardubice - one of Josef Gočár's first projects - has been transformed into a modern cultural and educational center. The Šépka architekti studio is responsible for the project, which combined the historic buildings with a new urban function with extraordinary attention to detail. The key element of the establishment are two buildings: Gallery of the City of Pardubice (GAMPA) and Sféra, an educational workshop, housed in a single expressive block. The choice of materials, such as 30 samples of concrete for the perfect shade, underscores that the sincerity of the design was the overriding value here.
Revitalization of the Automatic Mills in Pardubice - bird's eye view
photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
revitalization by elimination
The transformation of the Automatic Mills began with a bold gesture: the removal of some of the secondary buildings. This uncovered the monumental entrance portal of the complex - a testament to its industrial splendor - and restored it to its rightful display in the urban landscape. Crucial to the new urban layout was the creation of two public spaces with distinctly different functions and characters.
A regular grove of plane trees was planted in the entrance square, their roots fed by a specially designed brick irrigation system
photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
On the side of the historic center of the city, the designers shaped a representative entrance square. Here they planted a regular grove of plane trees, whose roots are fed by a specially designed brick irrigation system - a subtle reference to the industrial heritage of the mills. It's a place of peace and contemplation, but also a potential space for city fairs, outdoor events or casual gatherings.
The interior of the complex, on the other hand, is filled with the Courtyard of the Mills - a decidedly more dynamic space, prepared for exhibitions, concerts and theatrical performances. The designers have completely excluded car traffic, creating a fully pedestrian zone. Architecture here becomes a background and frame for urban life, rather than its dominant element.
A model of the entire complex
© Šépka architekti
color as a tool for integration
One of the biggest challenges was to integrate the new development with the existing historic complex. It became crucial to create a unified formal language, and the chosen tool turned out to be.... color. The new elements - from the paving of the courtyards to the facades and interiors - are kept in a palette of brick tones, harmonizing with the original structure of the Gočár buildings. The brick and red mortar surfaces not only fit in with the aesthetics of the site, but also reinforce its identity. This design decision ensured that despite the functional and formal diversity, the entire complex presents itself as a cohesive organism. Brick, concrete, weathering steel - each material has its justification here, and their use leaves no doubt about the structural sincerity of the project.
Revitalization of the Automatic Mills in Pardubice
Photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
GAMPA and Sféra - the new face of the mills
The most spectacular element of the transformation is the creation of the Gallery of the City of Pardubice (GAMPA) and the Sféra Central Polytechnic Workshops. Both are housed in a single, irregular, polyhedral-shaped block partially built into the site, giving it a dynamic, futuristic look. This modern structure encloses the Mill space to the north. The GAMPA, occupying the first floor, is, so to speak, the pedestal of the entire establishment. Its roof, accessible to the public, serves as a viewing terrace and a place for integration with the courtyard.
The interior of the gallery was designed with flexibility in mind - the exhibition spaces can be divided by sliding walls, and in summer the first floor can be completely opened to the outside, blurring the boundary between the interior and the urban landscape. Above the gallery rises Sféra, a modern educational center dedicated to science and technology. It is a space where elementary and high school students can experiment, create, construct. The building houses laboratory rooms, carpentry and textile workshops, as well as a two-story projection room with a spherical screen for simulating natural phenomena. A play zone was designed for the youngest children, where learning takes place through action.
The revitalization also included a new building housing the Gallery of the City of Pardubice (GAMPA) and the Central Polytechnic Workshop Sféra
© Šépka architekti
The entire building is characterized by high vertical brick walls, broken by large horizontal windows and skylights. The flat roof is covered with unique triangular panels in shades of brown and red, forming a geometric pattern. The open plaza surrounding the building emphasizes its contemporary design, creating a harmonious symbiosis with the historic structure in the background.
Revitalization of the Automatic Mills in Pardubice
photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
Sincerity of material, simplicity of form
Throughout the project, Jan Šépka and his team consistently applied the principle of architectural authenticity. Where brick is visible, there is masonry. Where concrete is visible - the load-bearing structure of the building is revealed. There are no surfaces pretending to be something they are not. Plaster has been eliminated, and the quality of detail and precision of workmanship allow the materials to speak their own language.
The color alignment of concrete and brick was preceded by numerous tests. Test blocks - as many as thirty different variations - were embedded in the wall of the entrance hall as a kind of material archive of the creative process. This gesture says a lot about the studio's approach: it was not just about the visual effect, but about honesty with the user, the building and its history.
Automatic Mills against the backdrop of the city skyline
photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
space of the future in the frame of the past
The transformation of Automatic Mills is a project that goes beyond the framework of typical revitalization. It is a story about a city that does not forget its past, but is able to creatively reinterpret it. Šépka architekti's team has not only restored life to the old buildings - it has created a space that works on many levels: as a cultural platform, an educational center, a meeting place and a symbol of transformation.
View of the main building of the Automatic Mills
photo by Aleš Jungmann © Šépka architekti
Pardubice has created a complex that not only integrates dispersed urban functions, but redefines the concept of public space in the 21st century. The Automatic Mills are no longer just a reminder of the industrial era - they have become one of the most distinctive examples of contemporary architecture in Central Europe. And they are a reminder that the best answers to modern needs are born when you listen to the place.
Compiled by: Anastazja Dżupina
Illustrations courtesy of Šépka architekti studio.
