Kosmalt

Kosmalt is a type of enameled steel, the production of which was a specific feature of the Košice VSŽ ironworks. The hostel named Kosmalt was built in the 1960s, originally as the largest workers' hostel of the local ironworks, and is an architectural work of Ladislav Greč and Róbert Kandrík.

The building is located in Košice, in the Terasa housing estate. The thirteen-storey building is characterized by a distinctive facade – a geometric grid made of prefabricated concrete modules. Since its inception, it has been a prominent landmark of the urban structure, while its recent transformation was architecturally overseen by the Atrium Architekti studio.

Between 2023 and 2025, the building underwent a comprehensive and sustainable renovation, affecting both the exterior and the interior. The reconstruction sensitively emphasized and preserved the original architectural elements, thus rediscovering the beauty of materials such as marble, terrazzo, travertine, concrete and steel, which had been hidden for many years under the layers of time. The original architecture naturally blends with the new interventions, creating a dynamic contrast between them through color and bold material solutions. For the visitor, color and form become an orientation element and define his perception of the space. From floor to ceiling, the old and the new remain clearly distinguished, but at the same time architecturally balanced.