Marius Korb

Revitalisation of a former glass factory

History
This work concentrates on the revitalisation of the former glass factory PEILL+PUTZLER, which stopped production in Düren in 1997. The whole complex consists of altogether three production facilities, hut 1+2, hut 3 and hut 5+6+7, which were built in the period of 1900 to 1970.

Utilization
The design pays attention to the only - not yet converted - part of the complex of buildings: hut 3.The utilizations were motivated automatically by setting up a status analysis.
On the one hand, temporary and continuous industrial real estates with approx. 7000 m² floor space were generated because of the good transport connection to motorways, city centre and railway station.
On the other hand, the outstanding view, the direct connection to the river Rur and the history of the glass factory provided the drive to include a public domain which is separated in a viewpoint, various exhibition and event locations as well as in a gastronomical area so that a varied program for all age levels can be offered.

Design
The first and most fundamental design decision was the demolition of the buildings around the listed hut 3 which disguised the complete historic valuable brick-lined facade.
Therefore the complex of buildings was able to “breathe” again and an internal courtyard with high amenity values which represents the centre of the whole complex was the result.
A further formative decision was the design of a viewpoint which was generated because of the necessity or duty of a second escape stairway and the virtue of a viewpoint. Also, it was important to connect the both main buildings of the hut 3 and the old grindery with a bridge. Consequently a homogeneous walkabout resulted which displays the historical and listed circular kiln in the hut 3 and at the same time opens the newly-arranged old grindery to the public.

---

SCHUNCK cannot guarantee the correctness of content and expression. The participants themselves are responsible for their entries. The copyright of the projects underlies to the authors, any reproduction or use of the shown material is strictly forbidden.