Excerpt: Drevak by Sodomka Sodomková Architekti features the refurbishment of a 19th-century railway warehouse, blending historical charm with modern functionality. Repurposed shipping containers house essential facilities, preserving the interior while reinforcing its industrial past. The contrast between the original wooden structure and the metal additions highlights its evolution while transforming it into a dynamic cultural hub.
Project Description
[Text as submitted by architect] This 19th century railway station warehouse stopped being useful for the railways and in the year 2010 was sold in a deteriorated state to the town of Řevnice. The hidden potential of this building was discovered by the headmistress of the local art school, who started using it as a space for exhibitions and recitals. The originality of this wooden “railway shack” enchanted the locals, and the so-called “Drevak” was given a second chance.
To use this space for cultural events, necessary facilities had to be provided. So how to add a toilet, storeroom, kitchenette or even an office to this shed-like building without blocking up the free interior? The facilities were therefore placed outside the building in the form of re-used shipping containers – contemporary vessels for transporting goods. In this way, the atmosphere of this old transshipment hub has been kept and simultaneously interpreted in a new way.
The Drevak stands by the first track, with wooden ramps by the sides and a monolithic stone ramp from the front. The building is an archetypal, simple, single-section wooden structure topped with a gable roof with prominent overhangs. The aim of the reconstruction was to preserve the character of the original building including its generous indoor space.
A few easily identifiable interventions have enriched the original architecture. By inserting a refurbished shipping container in the front a new entrance was created, adding a new dominant in the interior as well as allowing space for a small bar and a little gallery beneath the roof. Another prominent new element in the interior is a curved steel fireplace.
Shipping containers have been used three more times in the exterior for the accompanying facilities. The wavy sheet metal exterior of the containers is in stark contrast to the original wooden warehouse but materially corresponds with the cargo train cars that frequently pass by, and in this way clearly separates the original from the new.
The containers have been insulated, and windows have been added to them, rounded at the edges, like on a train. Each container has its own expressive colour scheme. Both ramps running lengthways and at the front of the building have been enhanced by a continuous bench/step. The whole outdoor area of the Drevak has become a popular place for people to spend their time even aside from cultural events. The location of the building is very advantageous – next to the train station, opposite the transfer hub for regional buses, close to a car park and only a few minutes from the town center.
The building is owned by the town and is looked after by the local art school. Apart from exhibitions, concerts, discussions and meetings, there have also been opportunities for weddings, masses, neighborhood meetings, or flea markets. Warehouse_13 is the new center for local culture and community. A sensitive approach to its history combined with a new laid-back architectural conception has proven to work in a functional synergy.
Drawings
Images
