Extension and Reconstruction of the Era Production Building

The company Era, a.s. manufactures air traffic safety systems for military and civil purposes. Its main manufacturing and administrative premises are located in the historic industrial sector of Pardubice. The original manufacturing building, built in the 1990s, was the oldest part of the complex. Gradually, other buildings were added. This began with two assembly halls, with a new administrative building completed later in 2017 (J. Bíza, O. Hilský, P. Táborský).
Ultimately, with the condition of the 30-year-old main building deteriorating, the production capacity of the premises was no longer sufficient. Extensive consideration was given to the reconstruction and extension of the hall. The investor decided on the final design in 2020.
One condition of the renovation and extension was that manufacturing production would not be interrupted at any point during the construction process. It was thus not possible to simplify the process by removing the existing building and constructing on greenfield sites.
The first addition was a three-storey office wing on the north side of the existing structure. Subsequently, the three-storey production hall was gradually renovated. To avoid interrupting manufacturing and ultimately allow for a gradual increase in production, the individual steps of the renovation were carefully planned.
The overall result is a new operational production building with a uniform appearance.
The original building was structurally designed as a prefabricated skeleton, whereas the extension is skeletal and monolithic. A mast used for testing technologies forms a part of the building and stands out due to its height. The building has also been given a new external casing. The appearance of the cladding is inspired by the truss structures of the masts used during installation. The final outward expression of the project endeavours to reflect its original manufacturing purpose.