- Savytskyy Design
Park Art of Rest
PARK Art of Rest is an inspiring example of the revitalisation of a typical Soviet era building. The complex, turned into a genuine park, soon became a gem of the city, thanks to the unusual design of young Ukrainian architects and the knowledge and courage of the entire team, which was looking for solutions to complex tasks.
PARK Art of Rest is located in the building of an old cinema, located in the park area of the city of Lviv. It was constructed in the 1960s as an element of the agricultural exhibition, during which a profound revitalisation of the park area was made. The building was semi-destroyed, abandoned and had traces of situational reorganisations. There were several attempts at resuscitation but none were effective until architectural firm Savytskyy Design were tasked with making an entertainment center out of it. The architects idea was that the function should be not only entertaining, but also cultural. Therefore, they convinced the customer to introduce a cultural and public function to the development so that the event area is harmoniously woven with the restaurant and open summer terraces. Without changing the volume of the structure itself (as there are restrictions on the ground area in the park area), the architects decided that they would neither build nor expand the existing construction. Instead they increased the area by dividing the building horizontally into two parts : The lower floor became a restaurant of Ukrainian-European cuisine, which can also be modified for musical events. The second floor became the event hall, which can be used for conferences, charity events, etc. The building was made out of brick and needed a solid reinforcement of structures, because underground springs, which fill the lake next to it, flow under it.
The basic principle of the reconstruction was to preserve the historic value of this building (it was constructed in the Soviet era as a typical project), and a three-dimensional solution that, according to architects, was harmoniously fitted into the location. In the architectural design natural and high quality materials were chosen in combination with a minimum of décor and a maximum of natural features. All elements that could be made in Ukraine were made locally – from elements of décor to kitchen equipment, almost 80% was made in Ukraine. And where there was a need to use high-tech elements (large sliding systems, drainage systems, windows, doors), the designers decided that these should be the highest quality solutions on the market.
"On the façades, we used a natural slate to honour the traditional architecture - we did not do any super-modern bulky solutions. The glazing of the roof was chosen because we wanted to give the interior more light. The building is located in the park area and we planned that not only will we make an archaic structure, which has its own cultural or entertainment-restaurant function, but also maximally integrate it into the surroundings of the park. Therefore, where it was possible, we added light and made it possible to overlook the green surroundings of the park, trees, hills, flower beds. The park has grown and from the panoramic roof windows you can see the crowns of trees – you get the feeling that you are in a greenhouse. Such lighting techniques add space, substantially expanding the room and creates a wow-effect, especially in the evening, when the moon and stars are visible. And when you come in the afternoon, it feels like the building is flying in the air. That was the task we set ourselves from the beginning - more light. We even had the idea to make a completely glass roof, but the technological difficulties with heating, sun protection, overheating and air conditioning, played a role, we had to make a compromise, but still left large openings in the design", - tells Marco Savitsky about the project.
The Reynaers Aluminium systems CW 50 HI, CS 77, CP 155 LS were used in the exterior and interior designs. Above the entrance to the complex, an invisible balcony terrace was created, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee. On the first floor - a set of large windows repeat the line of windows on the second floor. Twelve vertical sloping windows, which can be seen on the second floor, were designed and executed from the Reynaers Aluminium CW 50 HI system, the angle of the roof of the building and the glass is mounted at - 25 degrees.
Marco Savitsky - Architect
"Why decorate the room, if nature itself decorated it with its environment? We set ourselves the goal to make a large sliding system on the terraces that could be used both in the summer and in the winter. For this, we have came across the Reynaers Aluminium systems, from which we mounted the largest sliding system in Ukraine of 4.3m (H) by 18.5m (L). With this solution, we managed to combine the interior space with the exterior environment into a single composition zone."
"We are glad that we were able to implement the plan of the architects and customers, to carry out a ‘sliding wall’. We combined two large sliding systems (Reynaers Aluminium CP 155-LS), the overall dimensions of which are more than 18m in length and 4m in height."- says the design engineer of the company MKS Facade. They worked on the project with enormous enthusiasm, it was interesting to turn the paper version into reality, they say. “We did not do glass roofs or dimensional sliding systems on a similar scale and volumes. The execution and installation were complex, everyone was worried. Luckily, we did have experience in the correct implementation of the measurements, design and installation, because the windows were heavy - the weight reached more than 500 kg. The team worked in conjunction with the architect, designers, and workers. We are very pleased with the result and now it's extremely enjoyable to hear the people's feedback, the words of gratitude and we are very happy that we were fortunate to be a part of the construction of this historic building."
The second floor gives a sense of levitation, as in a plane - this we also sought to achieve.
The building retained the entire initial design scheme of the existing cinema, including the step of columns, zoning - the architects did not break the scheme, but supplemented it. This is the principle of the design of the company Savytskyy Design, which tries not to break, but give the buildings a new life: Marco Savitsky - a supporter of the principle of revitalization. Therefore, the hall remained as it was before and staircase marches were made in an atrium with illumination from the roof windows. The restaurant floor with a lounge area is dark, not only to create a cozy room, but also to emphasisee the nature: when you sit in a dark room, the surrounding environment through the huge windows is very visible and gives the feeling that you do not see anything besides nature.
According to Marco, the second floor was deliberately made completely white because it is a room for various events. There is a feeling that you are rising from the dark room up and get to the sky. Many visitors now say that they arrived in the clouds, where everything is white and sunny.
We tried not to break, but to build a new life.
According to Andrey Dats, it was a fantastic adventure: "During this period, I felt the whole spectrum of emotions: from complete emotional burn-up to euphoria. The level of stress and the flow of information were enormous. I would say that during this time I went from a beginner to a professional in my business. Each new problem is a new challenge that we and the team were glad to take on and overcome. Unique days, weeks of training, when I had to look for solutions to difficult tasks, to hold more than one meeting, but still, I am proud to say that the team of MKS Facade participated in this project.”
"In Lviv, as well as in Western Ukraine and perhaps throughout the country, there were no-one-to-one sliding systems of such dimensions - we were the first ones to take on the challenge to accomplish a difficult task, and thanks to teamwork, we succeeded. I am glad to say that everyone, from the customer and the architect to the visitors, is pleased with the result. This complex is now an extraordinary part of the city and a good location for events of different directions."
Involved stakeholders
Architect
- Savytskyy Design
Fabricator
- MKS Fasade
Photographer
- Oleg Babenchuk
Other stakeholder
- KRUAEL (Project developers)