On 26 July, the agreement for revitalisation of the EC-1 West facilities and their redevelopment for cultural and artistic purposes was signed. We have been waiting for this moment since November 2007, when the architectural concept of the Centre of Science and Technology was chosen in a competition.

The jury agreed that the best project was offered by Biuro Realizacji Inwestycji “Fronton” (“Fronton” Investment Realisation Bureau) in Łódź, which cooperates with Biuro Urbanistyczno-Architektoniczne Miłosława Wiśniewskiego (Miłosław Wiśniewski's Urban Development and Architectural Bureau) and with architect Włodziemierz Adamiak. Finally, the great vision of the architects, which has been appreciated for the way in which it introduces new architectural forms and combines them with the traditional architecture of central Łódź and for merging authentic industrial interior with modern interactive elements, will start to become reality. The building will retain most of its original furnishings, e.g. huge boilers and generators, thanks to which future generations will see how electricity used to be generated. The remaining space will be filled with rooms for experiments and interactive exhibitions devoted to various fields of science. This way, the younger part of EC1, which was still producing electricity for Łódź in 2001, will become a place in which visitors will witness the history of technology.

The investment will be realised by a consortium of companies: PORR (Polska) S.A. of Warsaw, POOR Projekt und Hochbau Aktiengesellschaft of Vienna (Austria) and PORR GmbH of Vienna (Austria). In the past few years, PORR has realised such projects as: Andel's Hotel and the Textorial Park office building in Łódź as well as the Centre of Shopping, Art and Business Stary Browar in Poznań. The tender procedure for the revitalisation was finalised on 17 March, but the companies which lost appealed against the result. On 29 April, the PORR consortium’s tender was once again chosen the best for the project. Now that the agreement has been signed, construction works can finally begin. 

The project includes revitalisation of the EC1 West building, construction works and development of common (integrating) areas. It also includes the construction of an entirely new building within the revitalised complex, redevelopment of the electrical infrastructure in order to avoid any obstacles for the construction works and development of the areas integrating the entire EC1 with the infrastructure. The gross cost of the investment is PLN 100 million (net value: PLN 81 million).  The deadline for the construction works is September 2012.

We may already start spotting high cranes which should be appearing over EC1 buildings any moment now. For several weeks, EC1 East has seen workers of the SKANSKA consortium, which is responsible for revitalisation of the older section of the plant. In the next two years, we will witness the emergence of the New Centre of Łódź.