THE WAY

Project idea

The development of the site is closely linked to its historical context, spanning events across different time periods. The entrance to the facility highlights a newly designed hotel that harmonizes with the surrounding architecture. It sets a positive tone for visitors while emphasizing the site's local significance. At this point, the visitor's path diverges.

Passing under the hotel's cantilevered structure, visitors step into the narrative of the factory's history. From here, they can proceed to the former spinning hall, now transformed into a space hosting gastronomy, artistic workshops, temporary exhibitions visible from the passage level, and lecture halls related to the early history of the factory. Due to the space's function, it's also possible to access it bypassing the main entrance, using footbridges over the waterway. This direction serves as an entertaining and educational aspect of the complex.

Directly after passing under the hotel's cantilevered structure, there is a passage leading to the main square, lowered by 45 cm compared to the ground level. Skylights with supporting structures are designed in the canopy, featuring quotes from survivors. On sunny days, these sentences will cast shadows onto the main pedestrian path. The passage walls consist of the existing hall wall along with newly designed windows and pavilions. Rectangular volumes create enclosed spaces for local artists' exhibitions or survivors' artworks. The passage aims to evoke emotions through individual perspectives, with quotes predominantly reflecting survivors' testimonies.

These quotes express fear and uncertainty—now recognized as the Ark that brought salvation. However, visitors should be aware that those arriving were condemned to uncertainty—a sentiment echoed in the song "Schindler’s Ark" by Civil War, written in 2015. Some of the Jews brought here had previously endured concentration camps. Facing cruelty and dependent on the whims of their captors for their lives, they awaited a miracle. Arrival in Brünnlitz offered no guarantee of salvation. Dozens perished during transport due to extreme cold and exhaustion. The path through the passage invites visitors to reflect and attempt to understand these events from a human perspective.

The passage concludes with a gateway, beyond which lies the Schindler's Memorial Square. This area allows visitors to confront their initial impressions with direct witnesses of history, evoking various emotions. The urbanistic interior features elements such as the existing textile factory wall, Schindler's former office, a building undergoing conversion into a reading room, a multi-faith temple, and Schindler's Ark. Here, visitors can read, reflect, and contemplate. At night, excerpts from Schindler's Ark, survivor documentaries, and other documents will be displayed on the square. To achieve this, a structure obscuring Schindler's former office will be constructed. The square is enclosed by the historical gates of the camp. A framing structure reminiscent of the view perspective on freedom accompanying the Jews staying there is designed between the ark building and the former laboratory. Next to it, there is a light point - symbolizing home and security that Schindler offered. % autonomous crossorigin

Project description

The complex of buildings forms a coherent program for the site. Each building serves a unique function. The existing development has been respected but also organized. The space is accessible to people of all ages, regardless of religion or life experiences. The place should primarily tell the story of the textile factory's history, but also about the production of weapon ammunition and Oskar Schindler's activities.
Good transport connections: the close proximity to a European route and an airport allows people from outside the Czech Republic to visit. Additionally, there is a railway station and bus stops near the site.
Schools and attractive access from other cities in the region have defined the educational function of the place. Thus, the facility can provide a variation to standard activities conducted within educational institutions.
The tour begins at the location of the current office building. Initially, we enter the site via a footbridge suspended over the watercourse: Bělský Potok. The parking area allows for the accommodation of private cars or tour buses.
The entrance to the site is flanked by a hotel, which serves as a height dominant. The hotel's form refers to the surrounding buildings through gabled roofs, maintaining characteristic proportions of the structure, as well as using facade materials. The gable walls oriented southward are covered with a perforated wooden screen made of overlapping wooden planks. This solution protects the building from overheating and introduces a reference to contemporary technologies. At the same time, it is the main facade leading the user inside. The ground floor features natural cut brick obtained from the demolition of elements existing on the site. The hotel, which is an extension of the largest building, was partially built over the industrial hall.
Existing elements, distinctly additive to the main hall, were dismantled. The building serves as a catering facility, a place for artistic workshops, and exhibits of works created there. The entire space is organized to reveal the existing structure. Intricate corridors are created, surrounded by surfaces for mounting artistic installations or graffiti. Daylight access in the inner cubicles is indirect, provided by skylights placed in an additional ceiling under the existing corrugated roof.
A passage was designed along the hall. Its roof is a lightweight structure covered with trapezoidal sheet metal. Skylights in the roof are adorned with statements from people who stayed in the Brünnlitz labor camp. Visitors passing through the passage can read the shadows cast on the floor, telling the stories of survivors. The passage allows access to the workshop area. Windows were installed in the existing wall of the hall to provide a view inside.
The eastern part of the passage is enhanced with pavilions. These are places for exhibitions by local artists or works of survivors. They are naturally heated and ventilated cubatures. The system is based on Trombe walls. To avoid overheating, the structure is topped with a green roof.
Passing through the gateway at the end of the passage, we reach the main square of the site. Here is the former Schindler's office, in front of which an openwork structure for film screenings has been designed. Between the buildings, a gate framing the view and a symbolic light point are planned.
The main compositional axis of the site is closed by the former Nazi building. It has been renovated and extended. A green wall on the south side protects the building from excessive overheating. The north facade features large glazing to admire the views towards the river. The eastern gable wall has openings filled with colored glass blocks. Thus, the morning light adds color to the multi-faith temple.
The wall of the square where Schindler received the ring with the famous inscription is also formed by the oldest part of the Schindler's Ark building. It plays a central role in the entire site. After renovation and adaptation of the building considering current design standards, a museum will be established here. The various rooms will present different aspects of Jewish history.
After exiting the Ark building, we can proceed through the labyrinth to the beginning of the route. The path consists of segments leading to sunken greenhouses through designed slopes. These are points on the map hidden under a green roof, lowered into the terrain, and glazed with opaque material. This makes it difficult for the viewer to see inside the cubatures. Between the greenhouses, there is vegetation aimed at increasing biodiversity. Birch trees commemorating those who died as a result of World War II also appear.
From the path, one can deviate and enter the building designated as a city community center. This object is designed based on the existing steel structure. It is a rectangular volume covered with a gabled roof, with modifications to accentuate entrance zones. The building is surrounded by a skeletal wall filled with hempcrete for good insulation properties to protect against noise. Inside, there is a ground floor with office and recreational areas, while a mezzanine indirectly lit by daylight serves as a reading room. The east and west facades are covered with boarding, giving the building an industrial character and protecting it from overheating. Inside, an artistic installation referencing light beams will be created. The building has a terrace overlooking the entire site. The building serves as a city community center, aiming to integrate residents and encourage local activity.
The entire site forms a path mimicking certain stages of the factory's existence and the lives of the Jews saved there, hence the project is called "The Way." The predominant colors in the objects and landscaping are shades of beige, reminiscent of old parchment with old maps, and navy blue, symbolizing hope.

Technical information

THE PROPOSED REDEVELOPMENT IS BASED ON THE EXISTING STEEL STRUCTURE, WHICH DETERMINES THE FORM OF THE BUILDING. THE FRAMEWORK HAS BEEN PARTIALLY DISMANTLED TO MAINTAIN AN APPROPRIATE DISTANCE FROM BUILDING NO. 1. THE ARCHITECTURAL FORM IS BASED ON A RECTANGULAR BLOCK COVERED WITH A GABLE ROOF, WITH CLEARLY MARKED ENTRANCE AREAS. INSIDE, THE ROOF STRUCTURE HAS BEEN FLOORED, AND A MEZZANINE HAS BEEN INTRODUCED. THIS CREATES THE ILLUSION OF INTRODUCING A SECOND STRUCTURE INTO ONE BUILDING.

Documentation

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