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The conversion of the listed Rheinstahlhalle (Emil Fahrenkamp, 1923) into a multifunctional event space follows a principle of maximum preservation combined with precise functional additions. The spatial integrity of the three-aisled hall, carried by a timber truss system, remains untouched; all secondary programs—foyer, storage, building services, and sanitation—are relocated into two clearly defined extensions at the head and rear of the building. Glass joints on both sides mark the threshold between old and new. The central hall thus remains a flexible, column-free core, while circulation, logistics, and infrastructure are spatially disentangled.
The placement of the additions follows the logic of the original structure. Fahrenkamp’s focus on structural order—pilasters and continuous cornices—defines both the relief-like gable façades and the 70-meter hall flanks with their rhythmic alternation of supports and tall windows. Overhead, the historic wire-glass clerestories extend the window rhythm, ensuring even, glare-free daylight. The new shed roofs of the extensions continue this motif, forming an autonomous tectonic system that references the site’s industrial past and evokes the former rail access through the turntable into the hall.
Structurally and in terms of preservation, the project emphasises reversibility and clarity. Loads and service runs are precisely defined, interventions minimal. The restrained material palette and deliberate non-imitation of the timber framework frame the historic substance, creating a robust, adaptable architecture that respectfully extends the Rheinstahlhalle into the present.
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