Dampfzentrale

The Dampfzentrale in Marziliquartier in Bern is a cultural center for contemporary dance and music.

History

The steam power plant was built in 1904 in addition to the hydroelectric power plant in the Matte district. Responsible drew the architect Edward Joos, who had earlier built the main building of the University of Bern. In 1924 also diesel engines were in addition to the coal boilers installed, and 1939, one to operate with a coal. The 50 m high chimney was canceled.

The power plant was closed in 1973, reduced the diesel generators and the steam station was used as a storage room. The city of Bern discussed future use of the halls as swimming pools and sports halls, but decided finally in 1981 the demolition of the building. The Bernese Monuments intervened to save the interesting from the industrial point of view, historical building.

During the Bernese youth riots the cultural scene was looking for function rooms and the city was very cooperative in this regard. The 1981 occupied riding school was established in 1982 police evicted, barricaded and guarded. Therefore, it was founded in 1986 by different cultural groups, the association Dampfzentrale with the aim to use the detached area culturally. Since the city did not respond to the various proposals submitted, it came in May 1987 to fill the Dampfzentrale, which was sung by Zuri West in her song " jack ". On October 19, after the occupation of the riding hall, the council finally recognized the need for action and gave the Dampfzentrale a provisional license as a cultural center. At the same time he commissioned the architectural firm Haltmeyer Flückiger to develop a project for renovation and new use of the protected industrial building. In the soon -established temporary duration recorded contemporary culture, the power plant buildings.

Program

Since then, the culture industry has grown in all dimensions. In September 1997, the restaurant Dampfzentrale was opened, which could blossom into the hip and trendy bar and dining restaurant. In the same year the Bern City Council approved a loan of 4.1 million Swiss francs for the total renovation of the building and the area. The restoration lasted from September 1998 to August 1999, the cultural industry, meanwhile, was maintained with restrictions.

With the renovation, the Dampfzentrale became a professionally run operation culture with good facilities. The theater stage holds 400 spectators. Every year there are more than 500 occasions. In addition to the main stages in the turbine hall and boiler house and the lounge area there is practice rooms for local artists. 2002 Dampfzentrale was awarded the Culture Prize of the civic community, which is worth 100,000 francs.

In September 2005, Roger Merguin and Christian Pauli take over the management of the cultural halls Dampfzentrale. The cultural center should be designed on the subsidy period 2008-12 new way as a contemporary cultural center for dance and music. After intensive negotiations between Dampfzentrale and the city of Bern, the city council called for a marked increase in subsidies for the years 2008-12 in the spring of 2007. The steam is so central to contemporary cultural center for dance and music, which explores contemporary forms of music and dance and the vague terrain between. After two years of planning and preparation, the cultural center on the Aare River in January 2008 with the Festival Blueprint has been restarted. A new name ( Dampfzentrale Bern instead of culture halls Dampfzentrale ), a new logo, new website and program guide MUT, as well as individual structural measures mark this new beginning.

Merguin and Paul shared the directorship and management. Merguin took over from 1 January 2012 the management of the theater house Gessneralle in Zurich.

On October 15, 2012 Georg Weinand has begun work as the new artistic director and managing director.