Küppersmühle Duisburg

Even before the inner harbour was developed along its entire length, in 1860 Wilhelm Vedder here founded a mill, connected to the harbour in 1893.
In 1908, the original buildings were replaced by today’s seven-storey three-wing building.
On the right, the small side-gabled house for the plant manager marks the end of the yard.
In 1912, the western annexe with the free-standing boiler house and chimney was added.
Instead of segmental-arch windows and merlons, the brick building was now characterised by classicist elements.
In 1934 the grey steel silo with pipe-riveted chambers was built on the eastern side. It is 42.75m tall and was a much discussed prototype.
The mill was shut down in 1972 and converted into a museum from 1997 to 1999 by Herzog & de Meuron, for which purpose the building was gutted in its entirety to create a total of 3,600 sq m of exhibition space.
The up to six metre high, white rooms are lit through room-high window slits.
The dominating large sculpture of a new stairwell made of brick-red concrete is very impressive.

Author: Route Industriekultur / Redaktion baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 25.08.2008

Categories:
Engineering » Agriculture
Architecture » Public Buildings » Cultural (cinemas, theatres, museums)