Former power plant of the Technical University of Darmstadt

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Former power plant of the Technical University of Darmstadt
Former power plant of the Technical University of Darmstadt;  East side (2009)

Former power plant of the Technical University of Darmstadt; East side (2009)

Data
place Darmstadt
Client Technical University of Darmstadt
Architectural style historicism
Construction year 1904
Coordinates 49 ° 52 ′ 37.5 "  N , 8 ° 39 ′ 27"  E Coordinates: 49 ° 52 ′ 37.5 "  N , 8 ° 39 ′ 27"  E

The former power station of the Technical University of Darmstadt is a building in Darmstadt .

Architecture and history

Former power plant of the Technical University of Darmstadt; North side (2009)
Georg Wickop lecture hall (2012)

The building was built in 1904 according to plans by the architect Professor Georg Wickop . Stylistically, the historicizing facade design refers to the opposing town houses in the old suburb and the Sporertor, which no longer exists today .

The hall was badly damaged in an air raid in 1944 and a fire in 1963. The iron structure originally spanned over 18 meters, made of riveted sickle trusses , was replaced by a concrete structure . The roof structure is supported by masonry supports that protrude like a pilaster into the facade .

On the north facade, Wickop planned the construction of two corner towers , of which only the right one was built. The wave-shaped facade on the east side facing Magdalenenstrasse results from skylights raised between the girders . The rainwater collects in the "wave troughs" and is drained into the internal cisterns . The gargoyles , specially worked out on the pilaster strips, form the end of the water boxes and serve as an overflow. On the north gable side with the wide arched windows there is an apsidal extension. A single-storey extension on the west side of the building was used as a test hall. The wavelike, cornice-like, strongly protruding gable end is made of yellow sandstone , which is emphasized by a plastic facade decoration. The pilaster strips , the end of which are formed as acroteries on the north side above the apse , are striking . The window frames are also made of yellow sandstone.

use

In addition to generating electricity, the coal-fired power station was used to heat the university buildings in the city center and - since the 1970s - also the Lichtwiese location via district heating . At the same time, it was a test field for the mechanical engineering department ( combustion , thermodynamics , exhaust gas cleaning ).

Decommissioning

In the 1970s, the small power plant lost its importance as a research field. At the same time, complaints from residents about daily deliveries of coal (noise and dust pollution) increased. The boilers were converted to run on gas and oil - also for cost reasons.

Shortly before the turn of the millennium, the power plant was shut down and replaced by a new gas-fired combined heat and power plant at the Lichtwiese site.

Monument protection

For architectural and city-historical reasons, the former power station of the Technical University of Darmstadt is a cultural monument .

Todays use

Today the building, which has been rebuilt and renovated inside, is used as an auditorium building and for representative events.

literature