Vlněna in 2006

Vlněna in the late 2010s

It seems that factory “Vlněna”, located next to the main train station and Vaňkovka shopping mall, will simply go down the memory hole. According to the ČT24 TV station, the owner/investor has found out that creating loft apartments and protecting the industrial feel of the area would cost more than what would be rentable. Which is perfectly understandable. But that does not make it less sad.

Vlněna is located at Přízová st. and it has been a part of Brno’s history – as it was one of the most important factories in the times when Brno was called “Moravian Manchester”.

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Carlos Lopez Ramos has sent me wonderful photos made during the last week’s party in desolated Zbrojovka factory. If you enjoy them, check out the full gallery at Mr. Lopez’ website – by the way, he is a freelancer and if you like his photos, you may ask him for his services!

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Burning Beats logo

There will be dozens of bands and DJs, several dance performances and many exhibitions of visual art. You can find a complete schedule on the official website of the event.

Thanks to sponsors (including a local “grow shop”), Burning beats factory party, the entrance fee will be voluntary.

Zbrojovka is located in neighborhood Zábrdovice. During the second half of the 20th century it manufactured weapons – that is why guns are called “Brno” in Iraq even now. The area is now half-abandoned and the buildings will be torn down in the next decade, to make space for a new residential quarter.

Zbrojovka factory

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Faculty of Information Technology has finished the restoration of the former monastery in quarter Královo Pole. The last restored building is a mansion built in the 17th century.

Interior of the mansion. Source: Jitka Vanýsková, VUT

The mansion is listed a place of national cultural heritage; its reconstruction was extremly careful and brought many historical components back to life, such as wall paintings and brick floors.

The unique place will serve as a Centre of Application Technology at the Faculty of Information Technology.

Dreaming about buying a loft apartment in Brno? We know about two new interesting projects that may bring you your own apartment or studio in the cool industrial style that everyone loves and we also found a nice plan of renovation of a historical railway viaduct.

Zbrojovka: new quater in the place of a huge factory

GPS: 49°12’10.601″N, 16°37’56.882″E

If you don’t mind its history closely connected to the armament industry (have you ever heard about the classy ZKM-611?), keep your eye on Zbrojovka. The huge industrial complex is 5 minutes by tram from the main station and it is also located on a bank of Svitava river (remember: watching the river flow while drinking coffee on your balcony does not happen really often here in Brno).

The factory was bought by J&T Group in 2007. The investor wants to develop a brand new town quater on the place of Zbrojovka; however, you have to wait at least for 2013 to enjoy your stylish apartment. Due to the real estate market crisis, it is pretty much possible that the project may be delayed even for 10 years.

Please note that the visualisation presents just a study, not a final look of the new quater.

Vlněna: flats and a hotel right in the city

GPS: 49°11’22.955″N, 16°36’58.4″E

The state-owned producer of wool-processing machines hasn’t survived the wild 1990s. At least the industrial complex located next to Vaňkovka shopping mall (which is actualy also a former factory) has a bright future: it will be transformed to flats and a hotel before 2011.

So far, the project has no official webpage, but you can gain some information from a document created by the town hall (in Czech, PDF).

The great train viaduct: beautiful again?

If the project of a new train station in the southern part of city succeeds, one kilometer long viaduct between the current train station and Svratka river will be carefuly restored and its surroundings will be transformed into a park.

It should all happen between 2012 and 2016. I am not sure whether the town hall has enough money to succeed with so huge project in the bad times of economic downturn. Stay tuned :)