Slovak studio Atrium Architekti has completed the transformation of KOSMALT, a thirteen-storey workers’ dormitory built in the 1960s for employees of the VSŽ steelworks in Košice, Slovakia. Originally designed by architects Ladislav Greč and Róbert Kandrík, the building takes its name from a type of enameled steel once produced by the local steelworks. Set within the Terasa housing estate, its distinctive silhouette and repetitive concrete façade have long made it a recognizable presence in the surrounding urban structure.
Rather than disguising this history, the renovation takes the building’s existing architectural qualities as its starting point. Atrium Architekti sought to preserve its identity while adapting both exterior and interior spaces to contemporary housing standards. The defining eastern and western facades, organized as strict grids of 22 by 13 identical fields formed from prefabricated concrete modules, remain central to the project. Their geometry has been restored and emphasized through a monochromatic grey treatment that reinforces the monumentality and clarity of the original composition.
all images by Matej Hakár
TERRAZZO, TRAVERTINE AND NEW METAL LAYERS
Inside, the architects removed later additions to uncover and restore a series of original materials and details that had gradually disappeared beneath newer layers. Cast terrazzo flooring in the common corridors and staircases, marble cladding in the vestibule, the travertine plinth running along the façade and original steel beams in the shared spaces have all been retained. The steel gallery and staircase in the entrance hall were also refurbished, allowing the building’s material history to remain visibly present rather than being replaced by a uniform new finish.
Contemporary interventions are deliberately distinguishable from this existing fabric. Expanded metal, corrugated sheet metal, custom-designed lighting and strong color accents introduce a new architectural vocabulary while maintaining a clear dialogue with the original structure. A wayfinding system using salmon, ivory and yellow, together with plus and minus symbols, differentiates the corridor wings and helps residents and visitors navigate the building. Old and new are kept visibly separate from floor to ceiling, but without turning the distinction into a competition.
the renovated façade retains its concrete grid
21 SQUARE METERS, 507 TIMES
KOSMALT retains its residential function, although its original identical accommodation cells have been reorganized into 507 private units suited to contemporary living. During the design phase, the architects tested different configurations and concluded that compact XS apartments of around 21 square meters could function for both individuals and couples. Generous glazing, loggias and views across Košice help extend the perception of these relatively small interiors, particularly on the upper levels of the building.
The shared spaces work at a markedly different scale. Naturally lit corridors, staircases and entrance areas are generous enough to operate as social spaces across all thirteen floors, while two identical staircases continue to divide the building symmetrically into two halves, following the logic of its original organization. Although KOSMALT was not conceived as an adaptable structure, its renovation introduces precisely that quality, showing how a rigid postwar building can accommodate new patterns of living without surrendering the architecture that defined it in the first place.
grey tones emphasize the modular exterior
original materials remain visible throughout the building
color accents guide residents through the building
restored terrazzo lines the shared corridors
shared spaces extend across all thirteen floors
KOSMALT now accommodates 507 private homes
details from the transformed interior
a glimpse inside the transformed building
project info:
name: Kosmalt
architects: Atrium Architekti | @atrium_architekti
location: Košice, Slovakia
photographer: Matej Hakár | @matejhakar
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edited by: Iñaki Laguardia | designboom
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