Anne Wies - Melting pot

MELTING POT a living factory for dudelange

Anne Wies anne1993wies@hotmail.com Master of Architecture Academy of Architecture Amsterdam Commission Bart Bulter Milad Pallesh Gert-Jan Wisse External commission Marlies Boterman Gianni Cito Copyright Melting pot © 2021, Anne Wies

melting pot A place is called a melting pot, because people, despite their differences, manage to coexist and live together as one nation. Anywhere diverse people are assimilated and differences become less important than unity, could be called a melting pot.

table of contents

melting pot

abstract 07 introduction 09 luxembourg & steel

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luxembourg & ethnicities

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dudelange & steel

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red earth 65 existing buildings

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inspiration 85 assignment 89 concept 95 materiality 101 ensemble of happenings

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connect 113 accessible 125 open up 135 release the coat

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extend 161 add 181 focal point 197 secondary interventions

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melting pot 237 index 261

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6

abstract

melting pot

abstract

collective memory

Melting pot is a project about the city’s collective memory. The broader meaning of abandoned spaces transcends their beauty and ability to inspire.

They are more than shells for architects to revive with innovative designs. They are opportunities to play with history.

After the discovery of iron ore close to a little village in Luxembourg, a big industry grew. This implicated an important transformation and an interesting social network developed. With the decline of the industrial era, the reuse and reimagination of abandoned buildings are necessary. They meant something to someone at some point of time and their disuse represents a kind of tear in the social fabric.

The project is located in Dudelange in a former industrial complex with diverse spatial environments of high quality. Melting pot is adding interventions that vastly extend the range of its facilities and accommodations. Not only will the range of spatial conditions be extended, but also the range of contents itself.

While listening to the existing buildings their new purposes are found, as every building has its own soul.

This graduation project is showing the reinvention of an abandoned steel factory in Luxembourg. Transforming our built heritage has the power to change lives, communities, neighbourhoods and cities.

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00 / introd uc tion

industrial heritage of Luxembourg

A fascination for leftover architecture triggers me since many years. This is why I chose a former industrial site to give birth to my graduation project. This project is making hidden spaces of Luxembourg’s unknown industrial history accessible and brings public life to the sites.

Cultural heritage not only needs architectural transformation but also a smart community orientated program. This program is inspired by the history of the site and the values it has brought over the years. Being born and raised in Dudelange, the former steel industry has a bigger meaning for me than smoking chimneys and waste land.

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introduction

industrial heritage

It is necessary to observe an existing structure from within in order to reveal its qualities and how to use what is already there, instead of systematically replacing and remaking. Today, the existing is the new material. It is always more sustainable to add onto, join, expand and span what already exists than to empty a site and start over. The existing is the basis and has a history which can’t be replaced and should be made accessible to everyone.

introduction

industrial heritage

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01 / l uxembourg

&

steel

the grand duchy’s unknown history

The history of steelmaking in Luxembourg is also the history of Luxembourgish economy and of its people. The development of iron ore mining that extended from the Lorraine region in France, all the way to the southern part of Luxembourg spelled the emergence of many steel industries throughout the country.

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luxembourg & steel

prejudice

luxembourg & steel

prejudice

For many people, Luxembourg is known as a small country with cheap fuel and economic services. But Luxembourg actually got wealthy by tough work and labour in the steel industry. The steel produced in Luxembourg was and still is transported all over the world.

Over the last 100 years, the steel industry has decisively influenced the transformation of the Luxembourgish society. Beyond its industrial achievements worldwide, Luxembourgish steelmaking has also significantly contributed to the modernisation of the country. With a significant role to play in the society, it implemented an internal social system that included health and pension insurances for its employees, as wel as the building of hospitals and housing.

The peak of steel production was reached in 1974 with 6.5 million tons. At the time, the steel industry represented more than 25% of the GDP and of employment. It also made up for approximately 70% of all industrial exports.

Over a period of 65 years, the steel industry had transformed Luxembourg’s economy from a poor agrarian society into one of the wealthiest and most open economies worldwide.

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luxembourg & steel

hidden spaces

abandoned mines in the south of Luxembourg where the iron ore was once found

luxembourg & steel

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luxembourg & steel

steel factories

flourishing steel industries in the south of Luxembourg, France and Belgium

luxembourg transformed from a poor to a rich country due to the discovery of iron ore in the south of the country

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luxembourg & steel

ARBED

In 1911, the ‘Aciéries Réunies de Burbach-Eich-Dudelange’ were founded - known under the abbreviation ARBED (united steelworks of Burbach-EichDudelange). The creation of ARBED through the merger of three companies was a major step in the consolidation of the domestic steel industry but also for the social policy of the country.

ARBED set up hospitals close to the industries, provided their employees with accident insurance, supplemented with benefits paid in the event of illness. Pension and invalidity insurances for workers were already introduced in 1912. Also a number of support services aimed at alleviating the poverty of the working class. Worthy of note were the dormitories, canteens and casinos where employed workers could stay and have a meal at very low prices. Worker’s families were also the focus of the social policy. Some of the measures set up were: maternity departments, subsidies paid to pregnant women, day-care centers, holiday camps, forest schools, professional schools, monthly allowances paid to workers with children...

It goes without saying that all these measures were not set up merely to satisfy the industrialists’ common philanthropic concern, but also to fulfil their own interest at the same time, in the sense that they reinforced the worker’s dependence on his employer and indeed were supposed to prevent social and political unrest among the working class.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that the elaborated system of employer benevolence contributed significantly to ensuring social peace in the Grand Duchy. This consequently makes it a distant precursor of the current Luxembourgish social model.

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luxembourg & steel

disappearance of the factories

many industries are disappearing

the first oil crisis in 1973 and the economical unrests which followed had significant effects on the European and local steel industry and resulted to overcapacity and lack of competitiveness of the local iron ore

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luxembourg & steel

industrial buildings are being demolished without analysing their structure and qualities for potential new functions

demolition

luxembourg & steel

construction

new generic houses will be build

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02 / l uxembourg

&

ethnicities

a small, but open society

Today, Luxembourg has a population of 626,000 people with 48% having a foreign nationality. And this does not take into account the 185,000 crossborder employees who work in Luxembourg. Being a small country, it boasts an incredible diversity.

This mix of languages and cultures from all these communities is rewarding for life in Luxembourg.

The steel industry is not entirely innocent of this diversity in cultures.

luxembourg & ethnicities

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20-25% 25-30% 30-40% 40-50% 50-75%

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luxembourg & ethnicities

ethnicities

Between the mid 19th century and the early 20th century, approximately one-third of the Luxembourgish population emigrated. Luxembourg was, at the time, a poor country with an economy dominated by agriculture. Between 1886 and 1914, the steel industries in Luxembourg boomed and these new businesses needed workers. With native Luxembourgers emigrating in droves, there was a real shortage of manual labour. To resolve this problem, the steel industries would be forced to look for workers outside the Grand Duchy, sparking the first stream of immigrants to Luxembourg. Southern Italy was overpopulated and underdeveloped, resulting in high levels of unemployment and mass emigration. An important number would find themselves crossing the Alps to work in the booming industrial fields of Luxembourg. The development of the steel industries led to a dramatic rise in the Italian population in Luxembourg.

The mid-1960s saw the arrival of the first Portuguese guest workers (including Cape Verdeans, who also had Portuguese citizenship). At the time deteriorating conditions in Portugal’s colonies put pressure on many young Portuguese people to emigrate. The two countries signed a treaty in Lisbon in 1970 to allow family unification. The population of foreign nationality has been growing rapidly since the end of the Second World War. 170 nationalities have been recorded across the country.

composition of the population with foreign nationalities in 2021

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luxembourg & ethnicities

since the workers often had neither the time nor the possibility to cook for themselves, many houses were originally equipped with a so-called “cantina” on the ground floor.

Social life can be described as a characteristic of the district

quartier Italia

luxembourg & ethnicities

quartier Italia

the Italians began to build their own small houses next to the steel industry. Since the workers built their own quarter, they used architectural models they knew from their hometowns.

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03 / d ud el ange

&

steel

from village to city due to the discovery of steel

Little by little, the former village whose population counted around 1500 inhabitants became an industrial town. In the past, smelting works and a roller plant filled the valley and made it possible for the village to grow into a city. In 1890, the 5000 barrier was passed, in 1910 10000 and in 2021 there were more than 20000 inhabitants.

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dudelange & steel

current situation

The phase of making steel began in Dudelange in 1886. With the commissioning of the rolling mill, Dudelange was the first integrated steel works in Luxembourg, combining blast furnaces, steel mill and rolling mill. In its final phase, the works had six old blast furnaces which from 1886 to 1930 produced more than 9.3 million tonnes of cast iron. Production was raised by the addition of four new blast furnaces and for the period from 1930 to 1984 amounted to almost 23 million tonnes of cast iron. The hot production phase came to an end in the works in 1984 when four furnaces, the steel mill and the rolling mill came to a halt. After the dismantling of the old installations, only the cold rolling mill remained. The number of employees went from 3000 (1974) to less then 300 (2002).

current situation of the city of Dudelange with in the southern valley of the former industry

dudelange & steel

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dudelange & steel

schmelz

When the hot production phase ended, the blast furnaces and steel mills disappeared. Only one cold rolling mill remained. The town of Dudelange, which was severely affected by the steel industry crisis of 1974, has benefited enormously from economic reorganisation and the industrial diversification implemented by the state.

The two former workers tell that the factory was their life and that they are upset seeing the site empty and silent.

two former workers of the industry telling about their experience and the importance of the factory, the ‘Schmelz’ (molten metals) was their life

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dudelange & steel

factory

the factory in 1979

dudelange & steel

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chimneys of the blast furnaces impress the image of the city

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dudelange & steel

factory

the remains of the factory in 2021

dudelange & steel

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a big part of the industry got demolished when not in use anymore

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dudelange & steel

meaning for Dudelange

the image of the city got determined by the industry. More than half of the city belonged to the steel industry

dudelange & steel

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dudelange & steel

scars in the landscape

the image of the landscape got determined by gaining the ore from the ground. Next to the underground mines, open pit mines where used to gain the iron ore. The stream was made underground and many railway tracks could be found in the valley

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dudelange & steel

social works

housing was built for workers, a public swimming pool on the site of the industry, a school for vocational training, a football club, a special school in the forest, a children’s home established in the former directors villa, a hospital, scouting, etc.

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dudelange & steel

newspaper

dudelange & steel

several categories of housing, subsidised or not, that can accommodate different household configurations will be available for rent or purchase. Future constructions are oriented towards flexible living configurations

newspaper

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dudelange & steel

neischmelz in 2035

the new district will not be exclusively dedicated to housing (1000 units), since a little more than half of the premises will be assigned to other functions, be they commercial, administrative or cultural

dudelange & steel

impressions

impressions of cba architectes creation of a new neighborhood and partial integration of existing buildings

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dudelange & steel

hotspot

located between the existing districts of Italy and Schmelz, the future Neischmelz will have the function of connecting these two parts of the city formerly separated by the steel factory

impressions of the project location

04 / red

ear th

terre rouge

The Land of the Red Rocks, also known as the “Minette”, is located in the south of Luxembourg.

The region owes its name to the bright red iron ore that gives the earth its colour and made the success of the steel industry in the country possible.

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red earth

impressions of the different red colours in nature

the landscape was shaped and transformed by the actions of man, in the extraction of ore. After the mining activities had drawn to an end, the abandoned wasteland was invaded once again by vegetation

red earth

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05 / existi ng

buildings

potential of industrial architecture

Industrial buildings are characterised by an underlying contradiction. The economy of means and a desire for flexibility associated with spaces of production have resulted in simple deep plan configurations that suggest genericness.

The conversation demands an understanding of the existing structures, each with its strong geometrical and structural constraints.

Making do is about using what we already have.

It is about considering the existing as a valuable resource, not as unsatisfactory or constraining.

Each existing situation is an opportunity consisting of elements, qualities and capacities that can be integrated, reactivated and reused. Each existing structure offers spaces that permit invention and imagination.

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existing buildings

sous-station électrique - electrical substation

the facade is characterised by repetitive openings with a space behind. The interior forms a dark, big open space

existing buildings

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existing buildings

atelier de la centrale électrique - power plant workshop

the facade is reminding of a theatre scenery

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existing buildings

wagonnage - carriage

the facade has big openings to get the carriage inside.

The train rails go from inside towards outside the building.

The interior is defined by a high open space connected to two rooms

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existing buildings

vestiaire - changing room

little part of a bigger building being divided in many different spaces. The facade has small openings

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existing buildings

atelier locomotives - carriage workshop

this building has a very high open space and is surrounded on every side by big openings.

It reminiscent of a greenhouse.

Under the train rails which all the way into the building is a whole in the ground where the workers could stand under the carriage to maintain them

existing buildings

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existing buildings

hangar pour locomotives - carriage shed

the shed has a very closed, unspectacular facade but once entering the building, a beautiful wooden construction can be admired

existing buildings

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existing buildings

layers of time

The site has many different layers. These architectural, historical and social layers come back in the design and program of the ensemble. They form a very important part in the design. Without these layers, the place would not be the same.

axonometric view of the different layers of time of the site. Next to the architectural heritage a network of train rails and galleries can be found on the chosen site

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06 / insp iration

artistic fascinations

The project melting pot started with the fascination of industrial architecture and the urge to save and revitalise them. Next to this, the inspiration of paintings followed me along this journey.

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inspiration

mit dem grunen Quadrat by Paul Klee, Impression, soleil levant by Claude Monet, drawing by Pezo Von Ellrichshausen

art

inspiration

art

haveli shrinathji at nathdwara

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07 / assi gnment

lively public living room for the city

Most of the former steel industries are vacant and on the verge of demolition and redevelopment.

This project is saving and reactivating cultural heritage and making the values visible. Next to the architectural values, the social values play an important role. The steel factories did not only provide employment for the inhabitants, they also had a very social side. This part of the factory should be brought back. The assignment is to design an ensemble of spaces which works like a lively public living room for the city. A multi-use leisure center.

The architecture finds full and complete expression in the creation of spatial scenarios, a complete focus on program which allows form to follow the needs of the inhabitants. The user is in the center of the design, the goal is to create cultural exchange and make space for social interaction reaching the broadest possible audience.

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assignment

living room

assignment

living room

Melting pot is compared to a living room, because it is the generalist among the rooms in a house. Without its other functions a living room does not exist.

Ensemble of happenings can be seen as an extension of the own living room not only for the social housing inhabitants but for the whole city and maybe even further.

From a place of retreat, to a meeting place, from storage room to lookout point, from resting place to playroom, from private space to everyone’s room. It is a space without clearly defined functions, form and meaning, a space that is at the same time indispensable. In the living room the residents stay without a clear purpose. Living is a pastime. However, this functionless place is an essential part of living. Ensemble of happenings forms a place where one can go with no particular goal in mind. Just see what is happening and where one can or want to join. One can be active and passive at the same place. It is a place for everyone. A place where everyone has the feeling of home. A heart for the new district based on the history of the site and its workers.

haus am Horn in Weimar, designed

by Georg Muche in 1923

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assignment

fireplace, restaurant, communal kitchen, playground, theater, working area, atelier, library, living room

program

illustration for the book ‘how to live in a flat’ by William Heath Robinson, 1976

08 / concep t

urban activation by an ensemble of various happenings

Melting pot invites us to experience a former industrial site, by creating public spaces for celebrating coexistence and mutual care in the broadest sense. A factory that housed a production center becomes a place that opens up to living, exchanging, creating and learning. The aim of the design proposal is to show how interventions could achieve functional improvements and change the way buildings are perceived. A living laboratory for public space.

Program wise, the different layers of history of the site and factory are translated into the program. Its mission is to offer a wide range of leisure, cultural and educational activities to a wide variety of target groups (children, teenagers, adults, seniors).

There will be no hierarchy within the different buildings. The relation between the interior and exterior plays an important role. Soft boundaries make the ensemble porous and accessible for everyone.

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concept

preserve

the existing factory buildings are preserved as symbol for the areas industrial past. Nowadays, the remains are not accessible and disused, slowly falling apart. The factory used to be the social connector of the city

concept

assemble

the remaining buildings will be assembled by a frame and transformed into an urban ensemble

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concept

activate

new activities, mostly related to the history of the site, are facilitated in the existing buildings. An urban playground for all ages. The program reaches from inside towards outside.

The interventions provide this gradient as the different spaces are merging together

concept

soften

the urban boundaries are softened in order to invite the users to explore the new ensemble. Interior and exterior partly become one. Form should not be finite but should be amorphous, so that the experience within is loose, meandering and multiple. A temptation is created to walk around and discover the ensemble

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09 / materiality

colour palette

The ensemble is build up with two main materials.

The primary material is red coloured concrete from which all the interventions are build from. This choice results from the surroundings of the site.

The region is called terre rouge, which means red earth. The whole Minette area is embossed by red earth due to the iron ore in the ground. This makes the connection for the choice of the red coloured concrete, relating to the surroundings of the site and the iron ore.

The secondary material is hot rolled steel with a clear coating. Steel has been produced on this specific site for many years. It works as a hybrid between the new interventions and the existing buildings. Where new meets old, steel is used as transition material.

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materiality

red, earthy and warm colours dominate the colour palette of the existing buildings. These colours can also be found in the surroundings of the site

colour palette

materiality

concrete

warm red coloured acid etched concrete will be used for the different interventions inside and outside as primary material

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materiality

the secondary material is hot rolled steel with a clear coating. The steel will be reused from the industrial halls which will be demolished

steel

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10 / ensembl e

of

happenings

melting spaces

A collection of interventions creates the melting pot. They work together as a place of exchange and leisure. Adapting the existing structures was as important as working out the right program to activate the area. It can be seen as a living factory, relating to its past and building up its present after being abandoned for many years.

The different interventions are merging the spaces together.

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ensemble of happenings

program

listening to the buildings was the first step to define the program of the ensemble. Next to that, the search for programmatic relations was very important. Creating interactions between different users is a goal of this project.

ensemble of happenings

adapting

winter

autumn

spring

summer

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the place is changing during the different seasons. The ensemble is growing and shrinking, moving from inside to outside. During some seasons the transition from interior to exterior is bigger than in others

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11 / connect

carpet

The ensemble of buildings and public spaces is unified through the establishment of a large base, working as a connecting element. It can be seen as the carpet of the living room, which ties everything together. This creates a stage for the neighbourhood, with the different interventions and buildings being the actors. The underlayer for the design are the different grids of the existing buildings. They work as an ordering principle and help defining the parameters of the interventions.

connect

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grid

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the three existing buildings have their own grids

connect

grid

the grids are weaving a patchwork and set the boarders of the carpet’s design

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connect

diagrams

the routing, the inside-outside relation and the historical layers play an important role in the design of the carpet. After passing the park next to the cooling bassins, the ensemble of happenings is the gate to enter the new district Neischmelz

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connect

materials

the carpet consists of the following materials: aggregate concrete, natural stone pavement/small cut stone pavement, acid etched concrete, industrial rough concrete

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connect

detail showing how three materials meet

details

connect

the wide joints of the pavement allow to make the walking lines visible. Dynamic influences such as the weather and spontaneous movements of the visitors contribute to the changing appearance of the carpet. On the routes and places which are not much frequented, grass will grow, while the hotspots keep a more urban look

details

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connect

details

the historical layer of the train rails marks the connection of the different buildings and the movement of the place. They remind us of the former function of the site and remain usable

connect

during a participative workshop on the site, we were building a rolling platform for the remaining train rails

historical layer

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12 / accessible

making history present

Under the site, a network of galleries can be found.

Different to the mines, which were excavated in the hills next to the former factory, these galleries were mainly used for pipes. First of all, they should remind of the history of the site and tribute homage to the mineworkers and the many people who lost their lives in the mines. Secondly, they are made accessible and make it possible to experience the life underground and make history present.

Above ground, a light line can be seen in the dark.

The marking is just as silent as the archaeological witness underground. The design is based on the history and mystique of the place.

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accessible

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accessible

a whole network of underground galleries can be found under the former steel factory, connecting the different parts together

underground

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accessible

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actual situation

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galleries

accessible

the galleries under the ensemble of happenings are made accessible and form a route one can walk GSEducationalVersion GSPublisherVersion 729.0.43.99

galleries

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accessible

the galleries keep their original size.

A dark and narrow corridor where pocket lamps are needed to find your way

light line

a light line in the pavement follows the galleries. During the night a mystic light lightens up and makes aware of what is happening underground and reminds of the history of the site

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accessible

details

accessible

details

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13 / op en

up

the importance of crafting

The idea is to provide a place for creation and not another gallery where people can exhibit their final products. Living in a digital and online world, more and more people lose the ability to create something with their hands. Crafting can help those who suffer from anxiety, depression or chronic pain, expert say. It may also ease stress, increase happiness and protect the brain from damage caused by ageing. The site of the former steel industry has always been a place of production and the ensemble of happenings makes it stay that way.

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open up

existing building

the former electrical substation facade is characterised by repetitive openings, reminding of vitrines. They form a transition of spaces

open up

axonometric view

while opening them up, they are connecting the inside with the outside. The hectic outside world is connected with the calm world of craftsmanship

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open up

location

open up

floorplan 1:200

the idea to design vitrines is to create a little workspace which is connected with the outside. People passing by get curious to see what the artists are doing and get motivated to participate

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open up

elevation 1:200

open up

section 1:200

back in the days big machines were standing there. Nowadays, behind the vitrines, a big open space with workspace for production can be found

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open up

section 1:200

open up

architectural models

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14 / release

th e

coat

open up

The former shed is one of the oldest buildings still remaining on the site of the industry. Standing in the middle of the ensemble, it forms a very closed volume. A beautiful wooden structure can be found while entering. By removing all the walls, it becomes a covered open space with the possibility of hosting any kind of event.

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release the coat

existing building

beautiful wooden structure

release the coat

axonometric view

the pitched roof is one of the most universal and therefore neutral elements of architecture and makes it possible to play with the space as freely as possible. Everything can happen in this space, it has all the potential of a public and democratic space which is open to celebration, participation and spontaneity

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release the coat

location

release the coat

floorplan 1:200

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release the coat

section

release the coat

1:200

the ensemble of buildings gets more connected due to the porosity of the space

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release the coat

happenings

art exhibition with luxembourgish artists paule lemmer & marie-odile turk-gaillot, wedding ceremony

release the coat

flexibility

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15 / extend

amphitheater

The former power plant workshop is reminiscent of a theater coulisse. Next to the details on the facade, its geometry also plays a role in this comparison. While digging out the basement, an amphitheater is designed using the facade as scenery. The stage and the tribune create a square, reaching from the interior towards the exterior.

With this setting, the spectators can be invited to move with the play. It creates a new setting for performances. By extending the existing building, an inside outside relation is created. This is making the building porous.

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extend

existing building

the facade of the former power plant workshop reminds of a theater coulisse

extend

axonometric view

the amphitheater works as a hybrid connector between interior and exterior

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extend

location

extend

floorplan 1:200

the amphitheater reaches from inside towards outside. Depending on the needs, the whole stage can be used or closed in the middle. Visitors can be invited for interactions with the actors. With the different openings, new spaces can be created like side stages as an example

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extend

winter-summer

the scenery of the amphitheater changes with the different seasons and needs of the users

extend

section 1:200

the amphitheater does not only work as a theater but will also host concerts and dance events, organised and spontaneous ones. It is a place where you go even if there is no event. The amphitheater works as a meeting place. A place to have a seat and observe the happenings on the site

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extend

elevation

extend

1:200

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extend

section

extend

1:200

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extend

architectural models

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16 / ad d

hybrid space

The former carriage workshop consists of a high and open space. The facade is filled on every side with windows, reminding of a greenhouse. Train rails guide through the workshop. Under them, one can find two long holes in the ground which made it possible for the workers to stand under the carriage to fix and maintain them.

The qualities of the building will be transformed into a restaurant with an industrial character.

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add

existing building

add

axonometric view

to soften the boarders between the surroundings, a monumental arcade is designed, working as a significant hybrid space. The arcade is an urban filter, softening the relationship between life inside and life outside

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add

location

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add

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elevation

add

the rhythm of the colonnade is aligned with the structural grid of the building. Big openings on the southern and northern facade, welcome people to enter the restaurant

1:200

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add

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section

add

the design can be seen as a piece of furniture which goes into the building and forms an entresol with three-dimensional connections.

The holes in the ground will be transformed into planters

1:200

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add

arcade

add

Illectiorem quodit verum qui dipiti ut eum nimagnatia sum sunt, odisciis quaerae pre con consequis maximus atur, conesercil ipid ut ex et eum alic to doleseq uaessequam.

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add

architectural models

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17 / focal

p oint

the living factory

The first cultures were supposedly formed by gathering around fires and later on they formed the focal point of dwellings. The former tasks of the hearth like heating, cooking, lighting, a gathering and focal point for media and culture, have been divided up among multiple devices, spread through the house. Once necessary for survival, the fireplace is now, in the West, a nostalgic luxury, providing an extra boost of heat in the centrally-heated home, a ritual of laying the fire and a sense of community.

The final intervention is the focal point, created by an interior and exterior fireplace. While thinking of a living room, many people think of a fireplace.

Furthermore, they refer to the history of the site.

The design of the fireplace is inspired by the factory’s former chimneys.

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focal point

existing building

the former engine and wardrobe buildings provide space for the actual living room of the ensemble

focal point

axonometric view

when the factory was still in use, the changing rooms were the place where the workers met others who did not work in the same part of the big factory.

At this particular place, the change of shifts took place. During that moment a crowd of people passed and met each other. Information was provided to the colleague who took over the coming shift

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focal point

location

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the collection of different spaces has various programs, related to the social and cultural factors of the former industry. It is a place where people can sit together, grab a book, cook, observe the fire or enjoy a spontaneous piano play. A place where the visitor can be active or passive

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focal point

elevation

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section

focal point

1:200

the fireplaces are designed to mark a place for rituals, ceremonies and gatherings connecting the visitors with the site and its history

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focal point

section & elevation 1:200

the monumental chimneys are places to communicate and tell stories, and its symbolism shapes the identity of the place. They concentrate collective power from those who surround them. As such, the fireplace represents and connects the current and future multicultural communities of this particular place

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focal point

heart of the existing buildings

the position of the exterior fireplace is a very important choice. It creates the heart of the ensemble

focal point

axonometric view

next to the interior fireplace, a second one is designed outside in the heart of the buildings. This monument is a symbol of the former steel industry and provides the relation with the living room. It’s a centrepiece around which people gather, where rituals are performed and events are organised a place for encounters

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focal point

location

focal point

floorplan 1:200

the cosiness of sitting together at ground level translates into a high, monumental chimney which is visible from everywhere in the city. It is literally the focal point

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the fireplace refers to the former image of the city. The city used to be covered by smoking chimneys from the steel factory. It was a landmark, used as orientation

focal point

architectural models

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18 / second ary

interventions

where old meets new - connections

This whole project is about transitions. They come back in the story, the program, the spatial experiences and in the connections. While the red coloured concrete is used for the main interventions, clear coated steel is used for the secondary interventions. These are defined by the transitions of old and new, where the function meets the existing building.

secondary interventions

transitions

The interventions form transitional spaces, where the function is pulled through the facade and connects the outside with the inside. Clear coated steel works as a hybrid between old and new.

three main spaces where the new interventions meet with the existing buildings

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secondary interventions

transitions

25

detail 1:20 between the steps of the amphitheater and the existing building is a small gap where a light finds its place. This light adds a theatrical character to the facade by night

50

secondary interventions

the edges of the concrete steps are surrounded by a small steel frame

transitions

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40

500

500

secondary interventions

detail 1:20 the whole vitrine is covered by the steelen frame which reaches from outside towards the inside

transitions

the frame increases the perception of the showcase and invites the visitor to have a closer look

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secondary interventions

detail 1:20 a part of the existing facade is cut out and the arcade goes from outside inside the building

transitions

secondary interventions

water is collected to water the plants. In case of heavy rainfall a secondary drainage brings the surplus of water into the ground

transitions

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red yellow blue

- entrance door - interior door - opening

secondary interventions

doors

229

entrance door, interior door, opening (old door) doors are intra-spaces, portals to different yet similar realities: they separate and unite. They can be opened, closed, and everywhere in between

secondary interventions

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entrance door

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the steel door frame works as an entrance portal. In this way, the openness of the building is shown

transition from outside to inside

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in all the different interior spaces the same door with the same steel frame can be found. With this design tool, the relationship of the different spaces is amplified

due to the closed door panel it is unknown what can be found behind the door

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secondary interventions

opening

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one can find openings where doors used to be. Due to the new program and new spatial needs a closed door is not needed anymore

the steel frame continues on the floor which makes aware of the transition to a new space

19 / mel ting

pot

conclusion

The melting pot emphasises the importance of collective memory and cultural heritage. The design and program aims to give a new meaning to the place, not forgetting the origin and the history of the site. Next to the architectural interventions, the social program plays an important role.

The comparison with a living room refers to the freedom of this space. It is the room in a home where everything comes together and everything can happen. Visitors have the freedom of choice where they want to be and what they want to do.

The ensemble forms the key position between the new neighbourhood and the city. Not only in an urban way the ensemble works as a connector but also in the social meaning. The social side of the former factory was very important and this role is being brought back to Dudelange. It was clear that it had to be a public place for the broadest possible audience, to entice people to enjoy culture and leisure and to participate in creating it.

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5

10m

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melting pot

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elevation

melting pot

elevation

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melting pot

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5

10m

elevation

melting pot

elevation

243

melting pot

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5

10m

section

melting pot

section

245

melting pot

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5

10m

section

melting pot

section

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melting pot

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10m

section

melting pot

section

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melting pot

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5

10m

section

melting pot

section

251

melting pot

architectural models

255

20 / ind ex

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index

bibliography

Alexander, Christopher - A pattern language, New York Oxford University Press 1997 Barasch, Dan - Ruin and Redemption Architecture, Phaidon, London, 2019 Forum No. 4 - Aeta, September 2020 Hannema, Kirsten + Ibelings, Hans - In Between The Urban Architecture of Donna van Milligen Bielke, The Architecture Observer, Amsterdam, 2019 Koolhaas, Rem - Elements of Architecture Fireplace, Marsilio la Biennale di Venezia, 2014 Krantz, Robert - Dudelange passé et présent d’une ville industrielle tome I & II, éditpress, Luxembourg, 1991 La sidérurgie luxembourgeoise - Un siècle d’histoire et d’innovation, ArcelorMittal Luxembourg, Luxembourg, 2011 Lina Bo Bardi 100, Hatje Cantz Verlag, Berlin, 2014 Pimlott, Mark - The Public Interior as Idea and Project, Jap Sam Books, 2016 Ruby, Andreas + Ruby, Ilka - The Materials Book, Ruby Press, Berlin, 2020 Semper, Gottfried - The Four Elements of Architecture and Other Writings, 1989 Sim, David - Soft City Building Density for Everyday Life, Island Press, Washington, 2019 Ville de Dudelange - Dudelange, portrait d’une ville, Dudelange, 2011

index

photographs

ARBED/Arcelor Mittal // p.17,21,54 Archives Luxemburger Wort - Schmit R. // p.26 Ben Bertemes // p.61,63 CDMH // p.36 Christian Bauer & associés architectes // p.59 Fonds Rudy Kremer et Archives de la Ville de Dudelange-Mémoire collective - cartes postales vun Dudelange.lu // p.6,19,43,47,50,52,54 Fonds Jea​n-Pierre Conrardy-Mémoire collective - archives de la Ville de Dudelange // p.37,49,105 Michel Desvigne Paysagiste // p.121 Romain Girtgen // p.123 Steinmetzdemeyer // p.31

263

index

MERCI Commission Bart Bulter Milad Pallesh Gert-Jan Wisse Niek Smal Tom Wies Mama & Papa Iris Lunenburg Julia Gersten & Joakim Derlow Tobias Kumkar Peter Schuitemaker Aneta Ziomkiewicz Philippe Kayser Locals Audrey Vit Nico Schwartz Dkollektiv Jacques Kirsch Nicolas Graf CDMH

merci

265