Park design for Zeche Zollverein Unesco World Heritage Site, preserving industrial nature and including five entrance pavilions (in collaboration with Planergruppe Oberhausen, Firstdesign and Licht Kunst Licht).
Context
Zollverein is a product of the former regional heavy-industry – which doesn't necessarily mean that the mine and the coking-plant are to be found in grey, dull and desolate surroundings. On the contrary: today's World Heritage is surrounded by a far-reaching area of forest and green.
When Zollverein was still operating in its original function, these large grounds were used as storage space and for delivery of resources. The local vegetation adapted to the conditions: a landscape developed with its very own character, which now accurately is called "industry-landscape". This nature, together with the ensemble of Shaft XII, Shaft 1/2/8, the coking-plant and the connected settlements, are all part of the World Heritage which was put under monumental protection.
There was already a masterplan by Rem Koolhaas and a landscape masterplan by Henri Bava/ Agence Ter, but no detailed landscape design and routing system for the UNESCO world heritage site of 20th century coal-mining. For the realization of the masterplan a design competition was organised.
Concept
Together with landscape architects Planergruppe Oberhausen, communication designer F1rstdesign from Cologne and lightning designers Licht Kunst Licht from Bonn, we won the first prize of the design competition. To design an orientation system for 100 hectares of installations, buildings, steel constructions and woods can be done, but not if it is a world heritage site. Can we do without signs? Can we leave out, what we supposed to design? From there on we knew we wanted to have people inviting other people on the site. Our park-rangers wil welcome you, show you the way, do small repairs and maintain the site. They will reside in small pavilions (OMNI) each consisting of house, garden and garden shed, as is the case in the miner's areas of the Ruhr.
location: Essen
year:2005
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