Arche Group
The revitalization there is scheduled to be completed at the turn of 2027 and 2028, with over 400 people working on the construction site daily. The results of their work can be seen in the premiere release of the video available on the YouTube platform.
Arche’s investment in Bytom is generating immense media interest both domestically and abroad. The revitalization carried out there by the Arche Group is one of the largest and most ambitious post-industrial investments in Europe. Soon, this over-a-century-old industrial landmark will transform into a vibrant, multi-functional cultural, sports, hotel, and gastronomic complex (with planned amenities including a SPA zone, swimming pool, saunas, bowling alley, and museum and conference spaces). Now, an extraordinary video shows the scale of work progress and serves as a unique document of a state that will soon look completely different.
— During my last visit, when project manager Marcin Hołub was showing me around the facility, there were people working everywhere, and everywhere I heard the sound of “work.” I felt like I was in another dimension and was impressed by the hundreds of different specialists and the fact that everyone was changing something for the better. It was fleeting, yet wonderful. That’s when I thought about sharing this with others, so they could find it interesting too, and walk through the facility in a single shot to capture that sensation. We have long observed huge interest in tours of our construction sites, which we organize regularly. However, these come with many limitations and restrictions related to health and safety (H&S) and logistics, and often also the significant distance of those interested from the investment they want to see, or physical disabilities. Now everyone can see what it looks like during construction. This is certainly an experience for us as well and a keepsake for the hundreds of workers participating in this extraordinary project. It also showcases a particular stage that will soon change — says Arche CEO Władysław Grochowski.
— The idea for the video “Camera on the Construction Site” was born during one of the inspections of this investment, when many crews were carrying out their revitalization work simultaneously. It was then that Władysław heard a symphony of intertwining sounds. Due to his artistic and cinematic passion, he immediately grasped that this was something exceptional. The direction was handled by renowned artist Monika Wojciechowska, and the entire video was recorded in a single continuous shot, showcasing not only the unique facility but also the progress of the work and its painstaking nature. The Arche CEO recognized what the creator of the famous musical piece “Boléro,” French composer Maurice Ravel—fascinated by technology, mechanics, and factories, and made famous in Maurice Béjart’s iconic ballet through the steady, hypnotic rhythm of a small drum in “Boléro” and the gradual build-up in volume—compared to the work of factory machines or an assembly line. During the revitalization of historical monuments, many activities are performed manually in a artisanal manner. Given the massive scale, as in the case of our investment in the Szombierki Power Plant, it seems almost impossible to bring such a huge facility back to life. I can reveal that during the unscripted filming, construction workers frequently turned machinery on or stepped aside to clear a path for the camera operator. Soon, we want to shoot a similar production at another of our spectacular investments, the Royal Paper Mill in Konstancin-Jeziorna near Warsaw — explains Adam Białas, Director of Communications and Operations and spokesperson for the Arche Group.
The Arche Group is a Polish hotel and development company founded 35 years ago by Władysław Grochowski, known for saving deteriorating historical monuments and giving them new functions (mainly hotel, cultural, and social), currently operating a network of 26 hotels, mostly located in historic buildings. In the coming years, the company aims to have 50 hotel facilities across several segments. Arche is unusual in that it often enters non-obvious locations and rescues properties that no one else is interested in. In the following years, the company intends to allocate over PLN 5 billion for such investments. The group currently has as many as 24 further investments in preparation and execution, such as the Donnersmarck Palace in Siemianowice Śląskie, Hotel Wrocław Airport II in Wrocław, Szancer’s Mill in Tarnów, Arche Hotel Kraków, Hotel Szczecin Olejarnia, the Royal Paper Mill in Konstancin-Jeziorna, and the Szombierki Power Plant in Bytom.
With the contribution of PLN 130.42 million in EU funds, a publicly accessible facility will be created where modern services will be provided within a historic space, while preserving original structural elements and historical equipment. Meanwhile, the estimated cost of the entire project is PLN 589.2 million. Arche S.A. has received two EU grants from the European Funds for Silesia 2021–2027 program under the Just Transition Fund. Grant for the project: “Creation of publicly accessible sports and recreational infrastructure as part of the revitalization of the Szombierki Power Plant building complex in Bytom.” The result of the project will be the creation of a modern, publicly accessible sports and recreational space in a historic, post-industrial facility. Amount of European Funds contribution: PLN 46,420,000. Grant for the project: “Szombierki Power Plant Bytom.” The funds come from the European Funds for Silesia 2021–2027 program under the Just Transition Fund. The Szombierki Power Plant buildings will house a hotel with over 200 rooms, a gastronomic zone and cultural space will be created, and a conference and exhibition center will be established, enabling the organization of fairs, exhibitions, concerts, and business events. Amount of European Funds contribution: PLN 84,000,000.
Film titled: “Camera on the Construction Site”
- Idea by: Władysław Grochowski
- Directed by: Monika Wojciechowska
- Cinematography: Dawid Drzewowski
- Editing and sound: Damian Anusz
- Production: Arche TV
- Duration: 8 min.
Link to download the video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mpsOQU804yo0zldZxONIwhpNyonjizig/view?usp=sharing
