MAKING USE is our approach to working with buildings and places that already carry structure, memory and potential. We start by understanding what is there, what holds value and how it can support a new future.
Every project asks for a different degree of change. Existing structures, constraints, programme, resources and time become part of the strategy.
MAKING USE is also the title of our book on adaptive reuse, bringing together KOGAA’s practice, Tomáš Kozelský’s PhD research and conversations with architects, clients and public institutions.
(01)
HEA(R)T
The former boiler house is one of the few industrial structures kept within the redevelopment of Nová Zbrojovka. Its shell, chimney and industrial character give the emerging neighbourhood a connection to what was here before. A new cultural programme brings the building back into use and makes it a shared anchor for the new district.
(02)
KUMST
KUMST works with an imperfect existing building and makes careful use of what is already there. Original structures, surfaces and visible services remain wherever they can continue to work. New interventions focus on circulation, functionality and flexibility. Keeping the transformation precise allows resources to go where they have the greatest effect and gives the building room to keep evolving.
(03)
Post Office Třebíč
The former post office brings together different periods, structures and additions. The project reads these layers as part of the building’s potential. Its central hall, adjoining wings, deep plot and heritage conditions guide the new residential organisation. Existing constraints help define where to keep, open, remove and add, creating a new use from the logic already present in the building.
(04)
Hasička Mikulov
The former fire station already has a familiar presence in Mikulov. Its new life builds on that relationship with the town, opening the building to culture, creativity, work and events. Its recognisable character remains, while a series of targeted changes make it accessible and flexible enough to support a new public programme for the years ahead.
(05)
DADA Distrikt
DADA explores reuse as both an architectural and a development strategy. The existing warehouse provides the structure for a new mix of housing, workspaces and commercial uses. A shell-and-core approach keeps intervention focused and allows the project to grow within what is already there. The existing building becomes part of the project’s spatial, material and economic value.
