AEG turbine factory

Built around 1909 AEG turbine factory in Huttenstrasse 12-19 in the Berlin district of Moabit is the key work and the most famous construction of industrial architecture in Germany.

History

The factory site was initially the Ludwig Loewe & Co. AG, which had been established by August Thyssen and the Thomson Houston Electric Company in 1892, the Union Electric Company (LEL ). The company's goal was to enter into the growing electrical industry, and so predominantly electric trams were produced at this location. But soon came the LEL in economic difficulties, and the General Electric Company ( AEG) took over the company in 1904 and was planning to build a new turbine factory, because the existing factory the company was too small.

With the construction of the new hall, the architect Peter Behrens was commissioned. Behrens was employed since 1907 in the AEG as artistic adviser and designed by the company logo, the use of graphics to the buildings of the overall image of the company. Initially influenced by the developments of Art Nouveau, the architect based soon towards the German Werkbund, which was in turn influenced by the British Arts and Crafts movement.

The construction

The turbine hall was built in 1909 under Peter Behrens as lead architect and civil engineer Karl Bernhard in Huttenstrasse 12-16 / corner Berlichingenstraße in Moabit. The original building measures 25.6 12.5 meters in width and has a height of 25 and a length of 123 meters. In 1939, an extension of the hall to the north was held by Jacob sound Berger and Paul Schmidt. The whole building has been developed to function as a production for turbines down. Today The work is part of the Siemens AG, which operates a gas turbine factory there. It is noteworthy that in this factory, the product is still manufactured today, for which the building was originally built.

The factories that had the AEG by this time were mostly known as " castellated proven citadels " in which occurred technology in an old-fashioned coat of historicist design. Among the requirements and expectations of AEG to design an impressive and sophisticated construction on a large scale, Peter Behrens created an industry architecture that emerged from the bracket of hiding behind the historic facades and turned into a new self-confidence.

The building is a historical monument since 1956 and in 1978 was restored. A sign is located on the south side with details of the construction, architects, historic preservation and restoration.