The Pardubice Mills (Automatické mlýny), a national cultural monument, is one of the first buildings designed by architect Josef Gočár. The monumental building standing on the banks of the Chrudimka River in the centre of the city was built in 1909 for the Winternitz brothers. In 1924, a grain silo was added to the complex, which was modernised by the Prokš Přikryl architekti office. The mills operated continuously for more than 100 years until 2013. Since 2016, the post-industrial site has been gradually transformed into an urban cultural and social district thanks to the initiative of the Automatic Mills Foundation.
The site consists of several buildings and institutions (the regional Gočár Gallery, the municipal “Gampa” Gallery, the central school workshop “Sfera”, the Information Centre and the Silo), connected by a brick link. Each architect approached his or her building in a different way, but nevertheless all the buildings interact with each other and thus form a living part of the city. Architects Zdeněk Balík, Jan Šépka, Petr Všetečka and investor Lukáš Smetana contributed to the modernisation of the historic complex.
The main aim of the reconstruction of the silo was to change its function to a social purpose, replacing its former industrial function a century after its construction. The multifunctional upper hall hosts theatre performances, lectures, concerts and social events. The roof terrace offers an enchanting view of the city. Exhibitions will be presented in the newly accessible grain silos, and the ground floor of the silo is now a covered public space. A basement with toilets provides facilities for the entire development.
The building originally consisted of three basic parts. Thanks to Josef Gočár, who became undoubtedly the greatest Czech architect of the 20th century, the mills were not seen as a purely industrial building from the start. Instead, they created an aura of mysterious machinery hidden within a brick fortress. Even the grain silo, added to the mill in 1924, is itself unobvious.
The architects’ reflections on the form of the main entrance led to the decision to uncover a hitherto hidden secret: to open up the ground floor on both sides and create a public space open to the public. The idea of opening up the building to the square went hand in hand with making the building completely accessible after more than a century. The exposed grain bins give the room a distinctive atmosphere. The connection was made at ground level through the side between the mills and the silo, in place of the original door. On the other side, the base is broken by a new, much wider opening.
Today, as before, the entire building is connected by a single communication core. The main change is the hall integrated into the former engine room on the fifth floor. The roof, including the hall, has been adapted for wheelchair users. The silo and its technology are characterised by verticality. Glass and concrete floor panels on the ground floor and in the lobby create a path of light through all floors down to the basement. Dug out between the massive columns, the basement serves as a back room. Another newly accessible space is the interior of the silos at second-floor level: here the essence of the entire construction is visible.
The interior modifications are restrained. Colours and bricks are limited to the facade, the interiors are subdued, the range of materials is modest and adheres to the principle of avoiding contrast with the old elements. All the original surfaces are preserved, including the patina or the various openings and scars left by demolished partitions.
Studio: Prokš Přikryl architekti
Authors: Martin Prokš, Marek Přikryl
Client: Automatic Mills Foundation
Project location: Pardubice, Czech Republic
Year of completion: 2023
Footprint: 1131 sq m
Photographer: Petr Polák, petrpolakstudio.cz
Main contractor: STAKO Hradec Králové
Read also: Czech Republic | Architecture | Metamorphosis | Monument | History
