Architectural monument ?! Photo

Photographer’s Note

Here in my city, Siegen, there's a huge special steelworks (please see map view right hand) and its administration building in 1957 was a progressive architectural highlight. When the steel company Krupp took it over many years ago it at once wasn't needed any longer because administration now took place in Bochum. Well, after this the first high-riser built after World War II in my region for many years was vacant - and it was designated a listed monument! Several new users, for example Siegen university, showed interest in its acquisition - but the immense costs especially for fireprotection according to the today's regulations made all plans impossible ...
Because of its attribute "architectural monumet" the office of monuments denied the demolition permit.

In the last years the facade of the vacant building began to disintegrate and it was "ornamented" with a green safety net. Now after many years of wrangling and discussions a steel dinosaur tears it down - bit by bit (please see HERE and HERE) and at long last approved by the office of monuments!
Blowing it up isn't possible because of the nearby elevated road.

So much for "architectural monument"! ;-))

In workshop you can see a closer view - one day before.

saxo042, chinchini, mortijo, ktanska has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

saxo042 (15586) 2009-11-02 0:54

Good morning Frank,
I think this place looks quite familiar, did we pass this place in May? Anyway, this is a very fine picture of a modern ruin and the red machine is also a very important part, showing this demolition scene in a complete light. An interesting study on how to demolish a building without dynamite.
Kind regards
Gunnar

chinchini (27549) 2009-11-02 1:24

Bonjour Frank,
Impressionnant de voir pareille démolition (j'ai regardé les vidéos). Je plains les voisins ;o))
Une image d'actualité, et tu étais là au bon moment. Du bon travail de reporter photographe !
Mes amitiés d'un Calvi sous une forte grisaille ;o(
Pierre

mortijo (12190) 2009-11-02 2:42

Hallo Frank,
A picture that has its place on TE: A lesson for all thatnothing here on earth is eternal. The red crane gives a colorful note to this otherwise mournful image.
Excellent note!
Regards
John

Nicou (44663) 2009-11-02 3:18

Hello Frank,

Un belle iamge de cette destruciton de bâtiment, un beau grphisme, , il est droit, fier, tout éventreé avec es filt, ces fer, ces câbles, sueprbe iamge, toujours impressionnant de voir de travaux de la sort.

bravo et maitié

Nicou

hrschwartz (694) 2009-11-02 5:08 [Comment]

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AandK (1795) 2009-11-02 14:03

Ich weiß ja auch nicht... Irgendwie schade, dass es jetzt weg kommt. Ist ja eigentlich ein Symbol des Aufschwungs, nur halt rotz hässlich. Bin ja mal gespannt wie die Fläche genutzt wird. Weiß man da schon was? Unsere Stadtväter lassen sich schon was überflüssiges einfallen!

Schönes dokumentierendes Bild!

jasmis (50274) 2009-11-02 22:19

Interesting report photo. See this one....

Regards my dear friend.

ifege (1743) 2009-11-02 22:30

Ah! Buildings become obsolete so soon these days Frank. This one coming down makes for a dramatic photo.
cheers
Ian

chrislo (336) 2009-11-03 14:58

Bonjour Frank,
La laideur dans toute sa splendeur, c'est ce qu'exprime, à mon sens, la photo que tu as prise de cet immeuble en démolition. Ce monstre de béton et d'acier horriblement triste et froid incarne, outre un inesthétisme absolu, la pauvreté architecturale et urbanistique de ce genre d'habitat. Le cadre de vie dans lequel il s'inserre est désastreux, à en juger par les routes qui le sillonnent et "les petits frères" en béton qui le jouxtent. L'engin de démolition, dont la couleur rouge symbolise la force et la puissance, n'est certes pas encore parvenu à bout de ce Goliath des temps modernes, mais il nous permet d'entrevoir les entrailles du monstre dont les jours sont comptés. Dommage que tu n'aies pas pu prendre l'engin en action, ta photo n'en aurait été que plus spectaculaire.
Cordialement,
Christian

ktanska (16534) 2009-11-04 4:04

Hi Frank,
A good reminder that we all should document more of our own changing environment. A building that seemed to always be there is suddenly gone. And you caught this in the middle of the process showing interior view rarely available. The crane is a colourful extra detail.
Kari