The Printing Press

by Steffen Welsch Architects

From The Architect

This warehouse conversion brief was about celebrating the spirit of a place. Situated opposite a suburban train station and nature reserve, this project entailed a conversion of an old rundown printing press into a home comprising studios perfect for an artist and/or a musician. The original building formed a central part of an urban assembly and its acknowledgement by locals, but was too delipidated to be saved. After exploring options of preserving the existing structure, we decided to partially annihilate and reconstruct the shell as a lightweight structure reinforced by a steel frame, providing cover and enclosure for the living space below. The studios were constructed as commercial spaces, minimising construction costs.

Our approach of preserving the spirit of the original fabric is evident in the details. The original trusses are reinforced and partly clad. The exterior walls were insulated but some regions were left untouched and now add to the composition of the internal wall faces. The original windows were replaced with double-glazed timber windows detailed to create deep recesses to highlight the insertion.