LAPLAN converts disused electrical substation into office and living spaces

Electrical substation renovation by laplan

architecture studio LAPLAN renovated an electrical substation in the czechian town of vyškov. built during WWII by the german army, the structure once served as a high-voltage facility for a large military base. by the end of the 20th century, however, the army vacated the building – leaving it standing for years as a disused volume on a hill, above the town. 

the substation was originally two stories high, with a heavy reinforced concrete ceiling. nowadays, it functions as a three-floor office building that hosts a small, modern apartment on the top floor. to gain an extra level, the architects demolished the original reinforced concrete ceiling and inserted two new steel structures — allowing a new living space to flourish.  

retaining the original volume and expression of the building

for this project, the LAPLAN team made sure to retain the original volume and technical expression of the substation: all existing openings on the façades were preserved, while new windows were inserted in such a way that the overall identity remains somewhat intact. the architects also supplemented the building with an entrance terrace and a balcony on the third floor (all added steel structures were coated in black to emphasize the distinction between old and new). 

 

the timber terrace at the entrance includes the existing steel tracks leading to three doors on the main façade. it also replaces the original electrical handling area in front of the substation. the black steel balcony, meanwhile, acts as an extension to the small apartment and gives access to the roof via an existing steel ladder. 

 

 

moving on to the interiors, the spaces reveal a contemporary and simple design. more importantly, the technical character of the substation is reflected in both the exposed steel ceiling beams with corrugated iron sheeting and the original reinforced concrete top that dominates the apartment on the third floor. 

as a final touch, the architects have replaced the surrounding, impenetrable bushes with a grassy cover which will gradually blend with the existing vegetation. ‘the substation will thus revert to its original state – alone, aging in the greenery at the intersection, and looking down on the fields, woods, and town,’ concludes LAPLAN.

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project info:

name: electrical substation renovation
architecture: LAPLAN | @laplan_atelier
location: vyškov, czech republic
total area: 120 sqm

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