KUMST

KUMST is a creative center in the city of Brno, dedicated to the local creative community development. Started and ran by JIC, the South Moravian Region Innovation Center, the hub is an accelerator to small and medium size businesses to grow as well as offering offices and studios for rent. KOGAA was invited to collaborate on the project given the know-how on previous creative adaptive use project in the city. The challenge on the design was to not only adapt the existing building into a new function that allows more into relationships between people but also to invent new typologies of common areas where the community could interact. Given the tight budget most of the finishes and infrastructure were left untouched, apart from the complete change on the electricity plan. The focus of the new construction was on opening spaces and highlighting important moments, also getting rid of materials and structures which were not original of the building. For example, the travertine columns in the main event hall or the light bricks ceiling element bringing in the natural light, which were have been previously covered by gypsum suspended ceiling are brought to the original state.

When entering the spaces of KUMST visitors are welcomed by an open multifunctional hall facing directly the street through large mirrored and tinted windows with a characteristic design from the original building. These were further highlighted by bringing the logo into each window where letters change color based on the event running inside the building. The space, visible from the outside, works as a show room of design, art, fashion, and other creative businesses covered by the incubator.

The two inner courtyards have been given purpose thanks to the activation of the side passage coming directly from the main street. Adding wooden platforms to flatten the floor and integrated branches for sitting allow for these spaces to become an extension of the interiors where events such as food and fashion fares take place.

The building, Údolní 19, is a landmark property in Brno that was built in 1929 by the architect Vinzenz Baier with administrative offices and a cinema. It later functioned as a canteen, and then as the seat of the Faculty of Fine Arts. It comprises 4,000sqm of  floor space split between two buildings, over four floors.