Extension of an industrial reinforced concrete frame to a business- and dwelling house.

Reflexion

A coreless and empty 4-storey-steel construction of the former factory built in 1965 is situated in the industrial and commercial ensemble of the Wilhelminian style in the urban district of St. Petersburg, the so called “Petrograder Side”, which style is still influenced by the numerous buildings from the end of the 19th century and of the early 20th century.

The idea of the architect Sergei Tchoban, born in St. Petersburg, is to create a residential and commercial building from the existing steel construction, which will be reflecting the genius Loci by using the modern technolgoies and materials, but avoiding the inartifical reproduction.

Tchoban plans to cover the both long sides with a glas covered perforated façade, the short sides will contain the partially opened natural stone facades.

Through the both extended residential storeys, whose covered with sliding glas panels façade is seen behind the main facades of the existing building, the roof seems to be a 90° curved continuation of a stony north-east-façade .

Between the south-west-façade and bordering Wilhelminian style-building a chrystal vitreous connecting building is being developed, whose filigree bridges functionally connect both  neighbour buildings, and in which four panorama elevators assure the vertical development.

The “reflecting” element in the façades of the building finds an expression in the print design of the glas facades with ornaments and reliefs of the Wilhelminian style.

The 4 m high, non-transparent glass elements in warm sepia colours between the windows are covered with prints with amphora, column and garland motives that create an entire composition in combination with smooth plaster imitating bossage and cornice elements.

A modern building is being created, which is not hiding it’s modernity, and at the same time showing respect to the surrounding design rules of one bygone but still present building culture.