© augustinundfrank/winkler
COAL BUNKER ENSEMBLE
Greentower and Greenlabor
Location: Gelsenkirchen
Planning: 2022
Architecture: augustinundfrank/winkler
Award: City of Gelsenkirchen
Status: Recognition – restricted competition
The coal bunker as “GREENTOWER” and the former coal mixing plant as “GREENLABOR” symbolize the future of cities. They embody the green-blue mindset of future urban development:
Using rainwater sustainably: Instead of runoff, rainwater is held and used locally or infiltrated to promote water supply and ecology. Plants as a local resource: on-site cultivation and distribution of plants as food minimize ecological impacts. Community use of green spaces: flexible use promotes community living and environmental stewardship. Sustainable redevelopment: repurposing existing structures emphasizes efficient resource use.
STRATEGY AND CONCEPT
The distinctive, post-industrial building represents all of these characteristics of the future city.
As a striking green landmark in the city-park landscape of the former Nordstern colliery, the GREENTOWER stages the theme of the International Garden Exhibition with its green-massive tree crown and green wall and illustrates change in a striking way. Through transformation and new use, it preserves and strengthens the identity of the site, the genius loci of Gelsenkirchen’s history.
© augustinundfrank/winkler
© augustinundfrank/winkler
The wide stepped podium around the Green Tower bridges the terrain gap between the building and the outdoor space, inviting visitors to linger. The podiums extend around the building to bundle in a staircase in the east, from where one can admire the IGA planting of the water areas.
GREENTOWER
The troughs that frame the 1st floor and the roof terrace with a green mantle are filled with large perennials, lush grasses such as Chinese reed and shrubs such as mini willows and small mountain pines. The roof terrace is overgrown with large shrubs such as peacock and such trees that like the windy location in the sun: hawthorn, manna ash or wild apple.
The character of the planting is natural-wild and site-specific. It emphasizes the “rusty”, industrial character of the area and complements it with the colorfulness, leaf structure and habitus of the plants.
The former coal bunker now “bunkers” rainwater, which is stored in a self-sufficient irrigation and storage system for green space irrigation.
© augustinundfrank/winkler
© augustinundfrank/winkler
© augustinundfrank/winkler
GREENLABOR
The south facade is covered with ground-bound strong climbing plants such as white Wisteria, wild vine and accents of trumpet flower. For the IGA period, the temporary vertical wall planting (wall-mounted shelf system with plant containers) on the 2nd floor (east, south and west side) forms the green focus. On the natural green-white-rust-colored wall collage, sedges, white purple bells, spindle bushes or mini willows grow as very robust and sun-loving plants. The cool north wall is covered with mosses and ferns, climbing spindle bushes and shade perennials such as Brunnera or foam flowers, among others.
There, too, the pre-cultivated ground-bound climbing plants of the north side, such as hydrangeas and ivy, will conquer the walls after the IGA.
© augustinundfrank/winkler