Client: Stiftung Zollverein, Essen
Competition 2025/26
1. prize in cooperation with Kevee Consulting GmbH (structural engineering)
Nominated for the German Design Award 2027
The Zollverein Coking Oven in Essen is a unique industrial monument and, together with the neighboring Zollverein Coal Mine, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The new 600-meter-long roof is intended to protect the historic structural elements from the elements and ensure proper rainwater drainage.
Our design is characterized by minimal intervention in the existing structure. The height, proportions, and supporting structure of the new protective roof are chosen to create a serene backdrop for viewing the diverse and richly detailed structure of this industrial complex. The existing facility (architect: Fritz Schupp), with over 300 coke ovens, remains the focal point of the experience.
Between the dominant coal silos, six individual roofs with delicate edges and slightly rounded corners are to be created, following the rhythm of the preserved gas flares. Perforations the size of furnace lids ensure natural lighting for the usable and accessible areas below. The seriality we have adopted, the use of steel as a material, and the design language interweave the unobtrusive new structure with the existing building.
Perforations in the nearly completely opaque roof ensure natural lighting of the accessible areas. A large-scale installation of PV modules is possible on the roof surface.
The use of CO₂-reduced steel from the Ruhr region—which saves iron ore and coal due to its recycled content—addresses both resource conservation and climate protection.
Vis: JSWD