Gempthalle

The Gempthalle in Lengerich, front view

The Gempt-Halle is a former industrial hall in the center of the Westphalian town of Lengerich in the Tecklenburger Land . After being renovated and redesigned, it has been run by a community foundation as a cultural and community center since 2004.

history

The hall is located on the site of the former Gempt factory in the middle of Lengerich in direct connection to the pedestrian zone. It was built in 1917 as an annealing furnace hall for the production of wire ropes . After the decline of wire rope production, the Windmöller & Hölscher machine factory built a modern foundry in 1957 and used the large industrial hall of the Gempt works for this. It was closed in 1991 and then only used as a warehouse for a long time. The site was bought by Lengericher Grundstücks- und Ernahmungsgesellschaft mbH (LGE) in July 1996 and the city of Lengerich had an expert opinion drawn up on the future design. Since April 2002, the Gempt community center concept has been funded as part of Regionale 2004 . From autumn 2002 the Gempt-Halle was renovated and restored and converted into a cultural event location. It was reopened on September 10, 2004.

Only the hall and a chimney with a water tank remain from the old Gempt factory. Residential houses were built on the remaining site.

facts and figures

during the renovation work

The size of the site is 1300 m², the hall itself measures 30 × 51 × 12 m (W × L × H). The total area of the three aisles is 740 m², plus a seminar room, foyer, kitchen and bistro. The first aisle can be separated from the rest of the hall. This creates a 270 m² theater room that can be darkened with row seating for up to 350 people. The three aisles can also be used together for large events with up to 1000 people. The bistro offers space for groups of up to 80 people.

During the renovation of the hall, part of the reinforced concrete skeleton was closed with an infill made of Corten steel and lead panels, the front part remained open and thus forms a kind of loggia .

The hall is operated by the Gempt community foundation . The city of Lengerich was the project executing agency for Regionale 2004 . Böll and Krabel, Essen were involved as architects in the renovation .

As of January 2007, 3 permanent employees and 8 part-time employees work for the Gempthalle.

The 60 meter high chimney with a surrounding water tank was built in 1919 and is now a listed building. The 150,000 liter water tank was used to cool the annealing furnace hall. Today the chimney serves to discharge the exhaust air.

Community Foundation Gempt

On July 3, 2004, the Gempt community foundation was founded with a capital of € 250,000.

She is the operator of the Gempt hall. The community foundation is made up of Lengerich citizens, institutions, associations and companies.

Activities include introducing the general public to topics of art and culture, imparting knowledge and skills in the field of general education, introducing children and young people to meaningful leisure time activities and maintaining the historical and cultural traditions of the city of Lengerich and the Region.

The purposes of the foundation may only be financed from capital gains and additional donations or contributions, including the operating cost subsidy from the city of Lengerich.

Promotion and award

The renovation of the Gempt-Halle was funded as part of the Regionale 2004 .

In 2005 it received the award of exemplary buildings from the Ministry of Building and Transport of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Chamber of Architects, because it can be considered "in terms of aesthetics, technology, social or urban planning as trend-setting for the coming years".

Events

Around 150 events are held in the Gempt Hall each year. The events are of various kinds, such as B. Concerts, parties (e.g. Abitur parties, LAN parties, private parties), theater, cabaret, flea markets, trade fairs, cinema, cabaret, workshops and others.