Case study
Riko Auto Complex
From an architectural flaw to a recognisable part of the brand
The project
Riko Auto Complex is located in the Orion area — a key location between Lyulin, Nadezhda, Sveta Troitsa and Banishora in Sofia.
On the grounds of the complex stands an old Electrohold transformer station with a tower and a total facade area of approximately 200 m². The building was no longer used for its original purpose, the plaster was crumbling down to the brick in places and it contrasted sharply with the investment made in the rest of the complex.
After receiving permission from Electrohold, the Riko team came to Fine Art Factory with one clear task: instead of an expensive reconstruction, find a way to turn the problem into part of the complex's identity.
Before
After
Instead of hiding the traces of time, we made them part of the building's character.
Context
The problem
The building was not owned by the auto complex, yet it sat right inside its visual environment. Crumbling plaster, exposed brick, old technical elements and uneven surfaces created a sense of neglect.
This was especially visible against the renovated service centre and the overall investment in the complex.
The standard solution would have meant serious repair work — restoring plaster, filling, levelling and a full facade renovation.
Our approach was different: to use the existing architecture exactly as it is and, through colour and graphics, turn the defects into an effect.
The concept
A visual language built around the brand
The client wanted a clean, strongly graphic solution rather than a classic artistic mural.
We used the black and bright green of the Riko identity, the logo of the complex, automotive graphic elements, dynamic lines and directional arrows.
The goal was for the building to stop looking like a foreign technical object and to become visually part of Riko Auto Complex itself.
Execution
Preparation and execution
Before the artwork could begin, the surface had to be stabilised.
Our team removed every crumbling area down to a solid base and prepared the facade for painting. After priming, the entire building was unified with a deep black base colour.
We did not try to hide every irregularity or the spots where the old plaster had already fallen away. On the contrary — after painting, the bricks, the relief and the marks on the facade became part of the industrial aesthetic of the project.
We then executed the graphic composition on site, working from scaffolding.
Before
After
The result
The flaw became the effect
The project completely changed the way the building exists in the space.
What used to look like an old, unwanted technical object is today one of the most recognisable visual points in the complex.
And all of this was achieved without an unnecessary investment in an expensive full reconstruction of the old facade.
With the right preparation, a strong graphic concept and precise execution, the existing architectural defects became part of the design.
“Sometimes good design doesn't hide the problem. It turns it into an advantage.”
Video
See the transformation
From the preparation of the old facade to the final result.
Do you have a space that isn't working for you?
Not every old or problematic facade needs an expensive repair. Sometimes the right visual intervention can completely change the way a space is perceived.