Kirchhammelwarden water tower


Kirchhammelwarden water tower

Data
Construction year:	1930
Tower height:	53 m
Volume of the container:	300 m³
Original use:	Water tower
Todays use:	unused

The water tower Kirchhammelwarden is a disused water tower in the Brak district of Kirchhammelwarden.

history

The Kirchhammelwarden water tower was built in 1930 for the Elsfleth-Brake waterworks based on a design by the Bremen architect Otto Blendermann at Stedinger Landstrasse 23

Building

The 53 meter high tower with a diameter of about 11 meters rests on a 1 meter high base that protects it from the high water table in the Wesermarsch . 96 wooden posts with a length of 14 meters form the subsoil. In contrast to the rest of the tower, these piles are still in good condition as they are completely below the water table. The ground floor level of the tower is separated from the rest of the tower shaft by a cornice . This contains eight reinforced concrete columns, which are reinforced by cross bars and bear the weight of the structure. The construction is covered by a single-shell exposed brickwork. At a height of about 39 meters, a balcony surrounds the space for a 7-meter-high water tank with a capacity of 300 cubic meters. This cylindrical water tank was made of riveted sheet steel; the bottom of the tank was shaped like a segment of a sphere. Above the space for the water tank there is an approximately 6 meter high observation tower with a flagpole. In the shaft there is a wooden staircase as well as the riser and downpipes. It is illuminated by rectangular windows, while there are round windows in the drip tray area.

Problems

The Kirchhammelwarden water tower is no longer used as such, as the waterworks now work with pressure pumps. It was sold by the OOWV , has been privately owned since the 1980s, but has not been used since then. Various plans and proposals for a conversion in terms of monument protection were not implemented. A resident's protest over falling bricks in 2010 sparked years of public debate over the tower's demolition.

The tower stands on a fenced plot of land in the vicinity of which there are residential buildings and poses a danger to its surroundings due to falling facade parts threatened to fall on the surrounding properties. Their reports revealed considerable damage to the tower from penetrating moisture.

According to the owner, the tower is for sale, but there are no prospective buyers. A renewed assessment by the monument service in 2015 revealed damage to the joints, masonry, concrete framework, windows, stairs and roof. The tower would have to be scaffolded for renovation. In theory, the owner could apply for a demolition permit, but would have to bear the costs of demolition.