Pump station Alte Emscher

Pumpwerk Duisburg-Alte Emscher, built at the lowest point of the depression cone of the Alte Emscher catchment area in 1914, is still in operation and Emschergenossenschaft’s (a water supply and distribution association) oldest pump station.
The historical building is based upon plans by architect Alfred Fischer and with its domed roof of 41m in diameter is one of the most interesting buildings of this era. At the time, the roof was the largest suspended concrete dome in Germany after Breslau Jahrhunderthalle’s.
The circular ground plan can be put down to the plant’s high safety standards: Even in a worst-case scenario, that is, crevasses, which the engineers did, of course, take into account, the pump station was supposed to continue to pump water from the depression. The circular form made for the best structure to withstand the water pressure. The height of as much as 24.5m was necessary because of the diesel pumps’ huge emission of waste heat.
The facade is functionally broken down: Above the base is a continuous cornice, the high-water mark. The windows above are aligned to the continuous crane gantry. A reinforced concrete dome crowns the hall building. The arched windows of the monitor roof let additional light in. The entrance area is highlighted by an almost neo-classical triangular gable.
The pump station also marks Dortmund’s north’s, and thus the waste water system’s, lowest level. Eight pumps pump the collected soil water from an area of 3,300 hectares and the treated Emscher water into the main collector, elevated at 5m and flowing into the Rhine at Alsum. The pump station has been pumping the Alte Emscher´s water to the Rhine through a penstock since 1914, day in, day out. It will continue to do so as long as people live in the Emscher area.

Awards:
Historisches Wahrzeichen der Ingenieurbaukunst in Deutschland (Bundesingenieurkammer) 2013

Author: Route der Industriekultur/Editorial baukunst-nrw
Last changed on 21.10.2008

Categories:
Engineering » Water Management