From industrial site to trendsetter: DELTA and Chris Müller are shaping the future of brownfields
14. August 2025
At a time when space and resources are becoming increasingly scarce, the DELTA Group is sending a powerful signal together with Chris Müller:
The revitalization of brownfields – abandoned industrial sites – is not only an architectural challenge, but also a social promise for greater sustainability, innovation, and cultural diversity. Under the “Green Mission” of DELTA’s experts and with Chris Müller, now working at CMb.industries, as the driving force, brownfields are being transformed into flagship projects with visionary thinking.
Chris Müller, CEO CMb.industries: “A building is more than just stone and concrete. It is steeped in history. When its function dies, a new spirit awakens. We extract golden energy as a condensed form of history, emotion, and impact—and transform it into auratic spaces with atmosphere, meaning, and potential.“
Wolfgang Kradischnig, CEO DELTA Group: ”The future of urban development does not lie in new construction on greenfield sites, but in the intelligent use of existing resources.”
According to DELTA and Chris Müller, engaging with history, potential uses, and the environment—connecting with the entire surrounding area—is not a nostalgic gesture, but a criterion for success. Because only what is accepted lives on.
An outstanding example is the Jam Factory Art Center in Lviv, western Ukraine. A 3,100 m² interdisciplinary center for contemporary art was created in a listed factory complex dating from the early 19th century. DELTA was entrusted with project management, technical supervision, and project monitoring & control. Despite complex conditions, it was possible to preserve the historic appearance while integrating modern functions for exhibitions, theater, film, and education.
Another showcase project is Promprylad.Renovation in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine. A former factory covering 38,000 m² has been transformed into a modern innovation center focusing on new business, urban development, art, and education. DELTA was responsible for general planning, project management, BIM, cost control, and LEED certification. The project combined historical substance with impact investing and impressively demonstrates how gray energy can be transformed into a place with social added value.
One project with international appeal was the transformation of the Tabakfabrik Linz, led by Chris Müller on behalf of the city of Linz. Today, it is considered the cultural heart of the city, described by Forbes Magazine with the hashtag #glüht (glows), and recognized as an international model of successful urban transformation. When Chris Müller left the management board, the factory was in the black for the first time—a symbol of successful urban transformation.
