International Building Exhibition - Emscher Park Industrial Monuments
Gasometer Oberhausen Prof. Jürg Steiner, Architekt BDA Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Architektur und Design The gasometer, completed in 1929, was originally a gas storage container for the neighboring Gutehoffnungshutte industrial site. At a height of 385 feet, it has also unintentionally served an orientation point for the city of Oberhausen. When the plant closed in 1988, locals negatively viewed the gasometer as reminder of the region’s decline. In 1992, the city decided to turn it into an exhibition hall as part of the IBA Emscher Park project. The interior was divided into several levels, accessed via a glass elevator. A 616-step staircase to the roof was added to the exterior; it is among the world’s longest industrial staircases. The gasometer has hosted several successful exhibitions, beginning with “Fire and Flames – The History of the Ruhr Area”, which inaugurated the tower in 1994. It was one of Germany’s most successful post-WWII historical exhibits. Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s “The Wall”, comprised of 13,000 colorful oil barrels, was shown at the IBA Finale in 1999. Today, “Licht Himmel” by artist Christina Kubisch is on permanent display. The space is also used for concerts, theatre, and trade fairs. This complements the shopping and leisure program that occupies the former site of the Gutehoffnungshutte, which is now known as the “Neue Mitte Oberhausen”.