Antonia Blaer

h2eau . barrage with hydropower-plant and recreational use

Antonia Blaer . + archiprix

The utilization of the potential of hydropower within the gravitational field of the earth is naturally produced by a never ending hydrological cycle.

16 percent of the global produced electricity emerge from hydropower plants. Annually 2300 billion kWh evolve worldwide from the power of water. This amount equals the energy production of about 400 atomic power plants. Nevertheless a hydropower lie idle annually. The worlds power requirement could be covered by this total potential. 3.5 percent of these 16 percent of the globally produced energy is constituted in Germany. Hydropower takes a leading role behind windpower in the energy-production emerging from renewable energies. Happenings in Japan 2011 attract the focus on renewable energies and the abolishment of nuclear power is enacted. Furthermore most of the concessions of hydroplants expire; compensatory measures in economy and ecology have to be encoutered in order to receive new concessions. Additionally pure functional buildings have to be expanded with leisure time facilities and therefore raise their acceptance. The flow of information has to be increased and tomorrows hydropower plant should be transparent and accessible. Unfortunately nowadays there are only a few realised examples for hydropowerplants in contemporary architecture with the demand of spatial qualities. The location for a new hydropowerplant is chosen at the existing barrage of the Rhine River in Weil am Rhein. The hydropower plant should not only constitute a regional specialty but also display the approach to renewable energies beyond the boundaries. This intersection of coutries, cultures, architecture a variety of topography and landscape and tourism suit very well for the localization of the new hydropower plant. In contrast to conventional comparable powerplants there should not be formed a conglomerate of single functional parts, but a strong monolithic structure, which integrates into the naturally formed landscape and exposes to the power of the water with massive strength. Simultaneously this massiv construction should not break the natural image of the surrounding. The structure should pick up the utilizations of the surrounding and combine these within one building. The block is embedded into the crosssection of the river. From the backwater point of view only a plate is visible, from the bottomwater point of view the whole block can be experienced. In order to gain space for the utilization within the building, volumes are cut out of the block throughout a sutractive method. Beside the 8 meter wide continuous path in the middle of the complex there are several benches with different situations of view. The view onto the water surface is manageable through cuts into the surface of the complex.The dam panels are found between the untilizaions. These single utilizations are reached throughout staircases which are cut into the block. These staircases offer an immersion into the complex.The sectors of the complex emerge from the utilizations of the surrounding and bundle and complement them. Experience: canoe-rental and -school with canoe-slide. Skateramps and drinking-fountains on the platform on top. Abidance: Underwater-Bar with panoramic window under water and Restaurant with terrace above Rhine River. Several benches and a water basin on top. Learning: Hydropowerplant with always accessible terrace and attached information-centre.

Designer(s): Antonia Blaer
Universität Stuttgart
Fakultät 1/ Architektur und Stadtplanung
Tutor(s): Prof. Markus Allmann, Prof. Dr. Jan Knippers