THE DISTILLERY – SOCIAL REACTOR

The Distillery’s architectural strategy was designed as a cultural venue to inspire creative exchange, support innovative ideas, and accommodate outstanding events. Originally a distillate factory and later left inactive for decades, the historic building has been given a new life and identity while keeping its story alive.
The Distillery operates as an organic body with the potential to expand and evolve over time. It can absorb various subjects from which to be influenced and grow with. As part of the Social Reactor typology, it is conceived as a hybrid structure capable of adapting in time to the needs of the entities using it. The workspaces are designed to support engagement, satisfaction, and performance, while a layered system of alternative spaces fosters collaboration and the connections essential to today’s knowledge economy. The proximity and availability of alternative work environments, both within and beyond the office, are key to enabling effective collaboration.
The project represents the first prototype of Social Reactor, KOGAA’s slow development lab addressing the reuse of inactive structures through adaptive transformation. Within the context of a post-industrial city with a strong textile heritage, The Distillery demonstrates how a vacant property can become a vibrant location, actively contributing to the urban and economic transformation of its surrounding neighborhood and life of the city.
One of the latest and most significant structural interventions was carried out on the second and third levels of the building, where the central beam system was removed to create a double-height hall with two balconies overlooking the central space. The main hall accommodates presentations, lectures, and workshops, while the upper balconies host designers’ ateliers and offices. Originally part of a Distillate factory founded by a Jewish family in the early 19th century, the four-story structure is the last remaining building of a complex of seven interconnected volumes. The new programme is distributed across all three levels of the building, and the multiple functions are spread out across different spaces, creating a dynamic and challenging working environment.
All restoration interventions were guided by the evolving program and the inherent qualities of the existing spaces. Prior to its current use as a coworking center, the main hall functioned as an event venue and later as an art cinema. The need for thermal and acoustic insulation led to the installation of a continuous rubber strip along its walls. More recently, a double-height, box-like structure was introduced to accommodate a shared meeting room, kitchenette, library, and additional workspaces above. Built entirely from recycled materials sourced from previous events, the structure is enclosed with polycarbonate and corrugated plastic.
To further enhance the services within the creative complex, a bar was introduced in the inner courtyard by reusing the existing historical elevator. Its cabin was transformed into a preparation area, while the shaft now serves as an installation duct, enabling the use of more complex technical equipment. Due to its compact size, it is likely the smallest bar in the country.
Responding to the lack of affordable, high-quality spaces in the city center, KOGAA continues, under the Social Reactor initiative, to seek new partners and sites with the potential for adaptive reuse and transformation.