Modern elevator in the historic Czerny building, in Galatas Instabul

In the Genovese quarter of Galatas in Instabul, built about 600 years ago with the characteristic aesthetic of industrial buildings from solid brick, the building housed the third branch of the porcelain and glassware industry of the Czerney family. Additional to the other two factories located in Bohemia and Vienna, the Galata facility extended its business in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Czerney family contributed to the emergence of the Pulat tray art as a significant example of the Ottoman artistic renaissance, between ‘art’ and ‘crafts’. These metal trays from tin or steel were decorated by hand with hand-painted landscape representations of Instabul or Mecca or abstract imagery of natural environments or even portraits. Originating in western European art at the end of the 18th century, Pulat trays became popular in the Ottoman territory at the beginning of the 19th century.

They were being used by the middle and aristocratic class for hospitality purposes, and are considered today rare objects of high collectible value. The Czerney building in Galatas is a distinctive example of industrial heritage of its age, with a lead vaulted roof, semicircular brick arches over the openings and robust iron window frames. It is located in a narrow alley typical of the area’s industrial past. The contemporary hydraulic lift installed in the building–today housing a large collection of authentic Pulat trays–comes into harmonious dialogue with the historic building shell. It has been designed by SNC Asansör practice.

To this end, state of the art structural and mechanical solutions were applied, guaranteeing the elevator’s safety while adapting to the building's limitations (reduced shaft depth). The aesthetic result is impressive: the lift is almost transparent allowing for the visual immersion with the building's material layers. The cabin is mostly glass with framing elements from Corten steel which carry an inert oxidized patina, matching perfectly with the interior of the old craftworks. Special details such as the almost sculptural floor indicator over the cabin doors, Czerney’s emblem on the cabin floor, as well as the careful fixing and jointing of the materials complement the elevator's fine design.

Article source: https://elevatorworld.com/article/czerney-project/