Revitalization

The ancient rumble of factory machines subsided forever. But the complex at the junction of Ogrodowa and Zachodnia streets is full of buzz again. Murmur of café conversations, music, children’s laugh. The old factory is awaken, because Manufaktura assigned new functions to the former textile empire and its historic buildings. It is now a place to hang out, spend time in attractive surroundings which combine the city’s history and identity with modernity and a new quality. Historic brick façades contrast interestingly with glass front elevation of the shopping mall and surround the market square - a public space hosting artistic or sport events open for everyone. Since 2017 this space has been officially named the Łódź Women Textile Workers Market Square.

The shopping mall interiors and street furniture about the market square were designed to fit into the history of Łódź. This image of Manufaktura is the work of the renowned design company Virgile&Stone from London, in cooperation with an architectural firm from Lyon - Sud Architectes. Virgile&Stone’s designers lived in Łodź for a while, watching the city, people, culture and learning about Polish history and language in order to make their innovative design as much connected with Łódź and its identity as possible.

During the three years of construction works, over 2.5 thousand workers were engaged in restoration of historic buildings and their brick façades and in raising a modern, ecological shopping mall. 45,000 m2 brick façades and 12,500 m2 metal windows were renovated, 95,000 m2 new constructions erected. The restoration of complex values, carefully supervised by a conservation officer, involved the newest solutions in construction and design as well as architecture, and the most innovative technologies related to control over particular systems.

In total 90,000m² historic interiors were renovated, 600 trees planted. The project costed ca. EUR 200 million.