monolith in the field
Saarbrücken’s existing Römerbrücke thermal power plant from 1964 was a groundbreaking innovation due to its efficiency in the field of energy production and therefore represents a rethinking in this area. Its design and its public artworks alluding to the theme of the energy-dependent house have made the power plant a symbol in the public eye. Today, climate change is once again forcing us to rethink how and with what resources our energy is generated. This is the mission of the new gas engine power plant, which replaces the former coal-fired power station and which is already hydrogen-ready. The exterior design focuses on the south side facing the Saar River, which is visible from afar and whose façade complements the new building as a «solar power plant», thus itself becoming part of future sustainable energy generation. This façade consists of folded surfaces made up of PV elements, giving the building a monolithic appearance. Its design once again takes up the abstract motif of the house, which will, however, be self-sufficient in terms of energy in the future. It was designed as a simple steel structure that develops from the substructure of the exhaust pipes. The other surfaces of the power station are left in exposed concrete. The open space between the monolith and the Saar becomes a field that can be cultivated in the middle of the city. «Monolith in the field» is the next step in a mission into our future.
