2015 Natalie DeimelNatalie Deimel - Bergisch Bräu
Bergisch Bräu (Mountain Brew)

The project ‘Bergisch Bräu’ deals with the change of use of an abandoned swimming facility called ‘Birker Bad’ in Solingen, in the center of the area called ‘Bergisches Land’.
Nowadays the cities are ready built and ‘changes of use’ become more and more important for the architecture and the architects of the future. The new utilization should strongly consider the architectural qualities of the existing building stock and stress and reinforce them.
The Birker Bad was built in Wilhelminian times in 1906. Here a brewery will arise, connected to a traditional but newly interpreted brew house: Traditional elements of the historic Roman thermal bath combined with new material and furniture and traditional elements of a German brew house.
Not far from there the old Beckmanns Brewery was shut down in the 1970s, and now there is a chance to produce the traditional products again. In addition to that a microbrewery for new beer brands will be established.
Characteristic for the project is the handling and connection of old and new structural elements in big structures as well as in details by material and design. The brewery components are implemented within the existing space of the historic ‘Birker Bad’.
The façade of the building is mostly developed back to its original form with formal deviations, the changes and happenings from the inside are visible from the outside to create a corporate architecture.

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