In the 19th century, fabric magnate Izrael Poznanski opened a textile factory in Lodz, which grew to become one of the largest in Europe. The factory contained a palace, living quarters, its own power plant, railroad, fire department, school, and more.
Thousands of employees worked and lived in the industrial park until WWI, when production was slowed. In WWII, the German army took over the factory. Slowly, in the post-war era, the factory began shutting down, and finally closed in 1997, leaving behind a cache of historical buildings and landmarks.
The French design firm Apsys Polska began rebuilding the area, preserving most of the original structures so the exterior now resembles the textile plant 100 years ago. The company brought the buildings up to today's standards, converting the area into a modern mall and, after several years of construction, Lodz Manufaktura opened to the public.
The 270,000sq.m complex also contains museums, recreation and fitness centres, a cinema (including an IMAX) and an outdoor plaza. The largest of the Manufaktura buildings became a three-storey shopping centre with over 200 shops.
One of the challenges to the design of the facility was preserving the original architecture of the industrial buildings whilst implementing the latest technology. To achieve this, the shopping centre uses 56 ETC Source Four HID 26° spotlights throughout the facility. The luminairesare painted white to blend into their historic surroundings. Prolight, ETC's dealer in Poland, specified the lighting for this project.
The HID spotlights - designed specifically for architectural venues - illuminate signage and artwork on the walls and are used for special event lighting throughout the year.
"More and more, architectural venues such as shopping centres are integrating theatrical lighting effects into their design, to enhance the look and feel of the building and to improve the experience of visitors," says ETC architectural market manager Joe Bokelman. "Source Four HID fixtures provide a convenient solution for these needs."
(Jim Evans)
