POGON JEDINSTVO Zagreb
with Miranda Veljačić
Old abandoned factory on the Sava River bank in Zagreb became a place of complex cohabitation of Pogon – Centre for Independent Culture and Youth that gathers together a large number of independent culture organizations, Club Močvara and Extreme Musical Theater House. The space was given for use to these organizations after many years of hard work on public affirmation of this kind of culture. Pogon Jedinstvo became an example of a new model – space-program-organization for contemporary art, culture and sociability. After a few smaller interventions, the building is still in use as old factory, hence completely not in line with the programs it hosts.
Reconstruction of building, its extension and construction of all required facilities follows the established relations, way of space utilization, created social dynamics and structure of the existing building. Industrial logic of the space is preserved. Rationally laid out screen of the existing construction is multiplied on three side and in this way a structure that does not change but continues the existing structure is achieved. It organically grows out of its own code. Architecture has no ambition to violently change the order and introduce new elements of its own, but to operate with the existing processes. It makes it possible for them to develop and continue to exist in future times.
It gathers different spaces and halls and treats them as standalone units that can be independently used either as production or as presentation spaces. Almost any of spaces can host specific programs, while at the same time these spaces are not neutral, but preserve their recognizable individual character. Just as in the initial situation, in which these spaces had to conform to the old factory, also in the new one, they are in necessary dialogue with new spaces.
By its opening towards external spaces and the river bank it becomes the space of social interaction in its community and urban context and one of rare public open facilities in recreational area of the Sava River bank.
