There were several locations in my home town, which I never even knew about while living there. When reading about a new detail plan I found out, that hidden in a corner of a residential area, which I very well knew, was a lovely, functionalistic factory area.
Built in many phases between 1890 and the 1950’s it was originally an English pig slaughterhouse (what on earth is that), in 1910 it became a fish net factory and in 1919 a metal product factory. I have no idea when it closed, but Finnish giant Fiskars bought it in 1984.
Since then it has housed different kinds of companies. But in the 2010’s a new detail plan for the area was developed. It would save some of the most valuable factory buildings, demolish others and build apartments on the lot.
The plan was approved years ago, but nothing had happened. I wanted to go and document the buildings before the redevelopment would start.
The place was indeed a heaven for the lovers of functionalism. The construction company logo is to the right, there seems to be a small printing house here, too. I’ve removed its name to protect the location.
The large sign on the wall is a map of the development area. Let’s see what the small sign on the wall of the lower wing says.
“Building will be demolished.”
So the taller structure will remain, the lower wing will be demolished. The building far left in the picture will also be preserved.
Just look at the beauty of the form. Luckily this building will also be preserved.
Actually almost all of the buildings in this photo are on the list of the preserved ones. There’s just the small bit of the low building between the two taller ones to the right, which will not make it.
And that is the building right behind the red Micra. It is the original English pig slaughterhouse from the 1890’s, but heavily modified. It is in such a bad condition, that it can go.
The wooden garage on the top of the hill can also go.
The same fate probably awaits these two wooden sheds.
A look behind one of the protected buildings.
A rather crude way to connect the shed to the electricity grid.
The building is from an era, when they still knew how to build stairways.
Let’s see, what’s behind this building.
Old cars such as a lovely 940 and an awful metal shed constructed in 1980, which is the most modern building in the area.
And will be demolished. I don’t think anybody is disappointed.
Another shed at the back.
So, no entries. But at least the area has now been thoroughly documented. When writing this post I checked what the current situation is. The detail plan was appealed and the courts accepted the appeal. The applicants had two main points: a nearby soap factory wasn’t protected in it and the possible disturbing smell of a water purification plant wasn’t addressed well enough.
The court decided that the soap factory can be demolished, but the smell issue wasn’t addressed well enough. It overturned the plan. An identical plan is currently being prepared with a proper smell probe having been conducted.
But wait a second, did somebody say a former soap factory?