dk nkf - Nordisk Konservatorforbund Danmark

a one-to-one model. In this way the colours could be
presented by means of glued transparencies or sprayed
on patterns using templates. The overall aim must be
to present this icon of industrial heritage in an adequate
manner by creating an aesthetically pleasing, cohesive
spatial harmony of colours which have as close reference
as possible to the original. More detailed information
on which to base further decisions will be provided by
large-scale one-to-one trials.
The imposing Jugendstil canopy over the entrance
disappeared from the building about 50 years ago. It
not only provided an impressive demonstration of the
architectural ambitions of the coal mining company,
but put it on a level with those of other public buildings
like railway stations, theatres and concert halls. It was
very probably dismantled because it had fallen into
disrepair due to poor maintenance: Whatever the case,
there is no evidence to indicate that any consideration
was given to the subsequent appearance.
What remains is a torso, laboriously concealed clues
and rough profiles. A complete new recreation would
heal this wound and provide a clear indication of
the original splendour of the building. None of the
original building substance has to be sacrificed in
order to achieve this. The construction of the canopy
could be achieved in a coherent manner and presented
graphically in such a way as to banish all doubts as
to its relevance. The original canopy was constructed
with rivets, but the new version could substitute
these with screws or welding methods. The profile
could be differentiated from the surrounding colours
by using zinc coating for example. Both measures
would be reversible, thereby enabling people to take
a different approach to the monument at any time
without any detriment to the original substance. We
are still discussing all the relevant issues, and no final
decisions have yet been made.
The question remains: can we truly recover the
Icon? The answer is no.
Given the circumstances outlined above, this is
impossible. Nonetheless I would strongly plead for
the recreation of the engine house in a consciously
responsible manner.
202
Fig 14: Work started in 2008 with the insulation work on the
exterior wall of the cellar, installation of a drainage system and
lowering of the groundwater table.
Summary
The 1903 engine house of the Zollern colliery in
Dortmund is generally acknowledged to be an icon
of modern industrial design. The building documents
the change in industrial buildings from a traditional,
historistic style to a modern, economical design. The
state-of-the-art nature of the technical equipment was
reflected in the style of the engine house.
Rescuing this example of outstanding industrial
heritage from demolition in 1969 signalled the start
of a new movement to preserve industrial buildings
in Western Germany.
Recovering the monument after more than a hundred
years throws up a great deal of problems. As we
now know, the durability of the more modern design
cannot match that of the massive brick building
method. During our intensive examination of the
building we have learnt a lot about aspects of statics,
the physical qualities of building materials, the
original coating and decoration, hazardous materials
etc. Treating a huge industrial monument of this
type entails finding a balance between safeguarding
the authenticity of the monument, putting it to new
usages and finding the best way forward to ensure
the long-term conservation of the building.