Silesia – an ideal place to create lofts?

Lofts, that is, flats created within former factories, warehouses or other post-industrial premises, are slowly ceasing to be a mere curiosity and are firmly entering the world of architecture. Until recently there were few of them in Silesia, but this is slowly starting to change.

A home among ruins?

The very idea of living among old utility buildings that have long been out of use may seem strange at first glance. But one must take into account the simple fact that before being put into use, lofts often undergo a thorough renovation, and the end result is quite comfortable flats. What is more, living in such an area fits neatly with certain social trends, linked among other things to the fashion for so-called Urban Exploration. Simply put, some people interested in lofts regard them as places with a unique atmosphere.

Lofts in Poland

The first Polish lofts were created in Łódź, and shortly afterwards more followed in other regions of the country. Characteristically, most of them were based on buildings left over from light industry. In this way, buildings that once functioned as textile factories (as in Łódź and Zielona Góra) or optical works (in Warsaw) were restored. There were also cases of granaries being revitalised (for example in Grudziądz) or buildings left behind by the military (in Poznań).

An interesting fact is that lofts are being created not only by redeveloping existing sites. The fashion for this kind of flat has led to new buildings being put up whose architecture alludes to the industrial style. Such entirely new structures are called soft lofts, while their counterparts "with a history" are called hard lofts.

READ ALSO – WHERE IS IT WORTH RENTING A FLAT IN THE SILESIAN AGGLOMERATION?

Lofts in Silesia

Although the Upper Silesia region is in itself strongly associated with industry, its potential went unused for a long time. It is hard to say what the reason was; the fact is that the situation in this respect changed only in the last decade – mainly thanks to the bold step of one of the local architects, who in 2002 began the renovation of a lamp room left over from a former mining and steelworks plant in Bytom. This is how Bolko Loft came into being; today it is almost a showcase for this type of building in the southern part of the country.

Interestingly, the first Silesian loft not only started a new trend in the region. It was also appreciated nationwide, receiving among other things a distinction in 2006 in a competition for icons of Polish architecture. A year later the same project was noticed and awarded in the international Leonardo 2007 Young Architects Competition.

The success of Bolko Loft led investors to invest boldly in new properties of this type. And not only in the hard version! In 2009 in Gliwice one of the regional developers completed the first soft loft in Upper Silesia.

Is it worth investing in lofts in Silesia?

From the point of view of investors operating on the property market, creating lofts in Upper Silesia is quite an interesting idea. All the more so because, unlike ordinary properties, lofts can count on publicity in the media.

The reason is simple – Upper Silesia is a region where every bold approach to the revitalisation of an area is quickly appreciated. It is therefore easy to get mentions in the media and to reach potentially interested people quickly. This in turn means the possibility of a quick return on the investment.