BORNACK HOCHWERK – Training and development centre in the former steam power plant

BORNACK HOCHWERK – from the architect's point of view

The HOCHWERK, a former steam power plant, is a listed building in Marbach am Neckar that was built between 1939 and 1951 in several phases. All the old coal-fired boilers inside the so-called boiler building apart from one were demolished to create a huge hall with three naves (H x W x L = 35 x 35 x 90 m). This "technical cathedral" with more than 3,000 sqm of floor space and a clear height of 30 m is predestined for all-year, weather-independent training courses focusing on "securing and rescue at great heights".

Containers have been used to create "rooms within rooms", initially for construction reasons because, like a church, it is not possible to heat the entire room, and secondly for design reasons. The focus is steered to the height by placing the containers on the 6.5 m level. This is underscored by four sets of stairs attached to two of the old mighty steel girders which allow access to this height. The containers protrude by around 2 m into the central "nave" due to the fact that they are accessed from the rear. The glass fronts of the containers facing the hall seem to "float" within the hall allowing a magnificent view of the "climbers" training directly opposite. Around 2,000 specialists are trained here every year.

Traces of the past have been deliberately left in the plasterwork, concrete and steel surfaces to retain the original character of the building.

BORNACK HOCHWERK – listed building aspects

The power plant has stood still since the power plant stopped using coal as a fuel. Almost simultaneously, the building was recognised as a technical cultural monument and there was a move to retain the entire power plant complex.

When approaching the building from Marbach you can see that this enormous building comprises concrete strips and has balanced proportions. The architect used the simplest of means to lend this power package a monumental character: The lower part of the glass facades on the face side and longitudinal sides are set back exposing the concrete pillars as mighty supports. The intricate network of glass surfaces increases the large scale of the building considerably.

The wavy and translucent panes define the façade and interior space, they were never intended to be shop windows, because the installations inside the building were anything but nice to look at: large steam boilers stood in the middle of the almost 200 m long, 30 m wide and 30 m high building and the steam they produced was used to drive the turbines and generators in the adjacent hall. The actual size of the hall only really became apparent when the other 7 boilers were dismantled.

Also, only a few offices, recreational and meeting rooms were required and these have been installed in simple redesigned overseas containers on the gallery:  the overall impression is subtle but intriguing, leaving the focus on the large room.