The story goes like this: In February 2007 Łódź city authorities finally decided to do something about the dreadful state the city found itself in (the phrase 'post-industrial wasteland' comes to mind). In cooperation with the World Arts Foundation they handed the job of drawing up the master plan to Rob Krier, a Luxembourg-born architect with a string of accolades to his name. What he came up with was a complete restructuring of the area between ul. Kiliński, Kopcińskiego, Narutowicza and Tuwima. He consulted with many Polish and international designers and prominent artists (David Lynch was originally attached to the project), and his final design, while revolutionary and modern, also incorporates many of the industrial elements that define the city's architecture. EC1 itself is actually the local name for the former electric factory (Elektrociepłownia 1). Originally constructed in 1907, the plant supplied power to the city up until 2001, after which it was allowed to fall into disrepair.
The project to breathe life back into the EC1 complex was divided into several stages with the plant and surrounding areas split into sections with the aim to provide a real cultural experience; a place, if you will, to think and to experience – a city within a city. EC1 East was the first building to have opened to the public in 2016. It serves as a cultural space hosting workshops, art exhibitions and other various cultural events. In this part of the factory there is also a Planetarium, already visited by over 200,000 people since opening and voted top spot in the National Geographic's 7 Wonders of Poland competition 2016. Also, EC1 East is home to the National Centre for Film Culture and next to it, the Łódź Film Commission.
