A self-sustaining city - textile city Wülfing
- Series: CREATIVE QUARTERS RUHR
Today, the textile city Wülfing is considered one of Europe‘s top industrial monuments - but that is not the only reason for the public interest. The factory ensemble is completely preserved, the rooms next to the museum are rented out to industrial units. The residential buildings are still inhabited. Currently, no plans for a conversion do exist - the city lives on.
In Radevormwald, a very unique vision was realised, albeit under the premise of profitability. Be that as it may, the textile company Johann Wülfing & Sohn anticipated conceptions of the social city and built a complete infrastructure very early.
Always ahead - Johann Wülfing & Sohn
The history of the textile company is linked to some superlatives. The company is - or better, was - one of the oldest textile businesses of the world. It was established in 1674 and started producing industrially manufactured fabrics and cloths in Lennep.
As a protest against the French occupation and Napoleon‘s trade restrictions, the company moved to Eupen in Belgium. Wülfing imported top-notch machinery of his time from there to Lennep.
1816, the complete company moved to nearby Dahlerau to improve the efficient use of water power - Wülfing set up his business in a closed hammer mill. The company was able to grow, soon, 1000 people worked there. To provide them with appropriate accomodation, residential buildings were constructed. Those were - according to the standards of the times - more spacious, their architectural style reminding of classicism. They were different from the usual working-class quarters.
A complete infrastructure
Step by step, a complete infrastructure emerged in Dahlerau, with doctor, kindergartens, and stores. As of 1827, a street led to the premises, 1890, the city was connected to the train line and got its own station. There was also a post office, and public baths with tubs and showers. Another superlative: the still working 400 PS steam engine exhibited in the museum, the biggest one in the whole region. 1921, a hydraulic turbine facility started started generating electricity for the complete district of Lennep. The textile city was really self-sustaining - in several respects.
After WW II, the company was listed among the world‘s leading businesses with a yearly production rate of 3.6 million metres of fabric - until it got into trouble due to the economy crisis in the 80s. 1993, the company filed for bankruptcy, and 1996, the company was closed for good. The operative machinery was sold to Asia.
Residents and former workers preserved machines, looms, and historical documents - and after years of debates, they were finally supported by he state. The museum is now professionalised. But this is just one facet of the idiosyncratic charm clinging to the term „textile city“.
The textile city Wülfing is a singular example of urban development planning almost unsurpassed until today. Old and new projects don‘t go that far that they reach such a high level of versatile autarky. In this case, there were no long discussions about the feasibility of this kind of model - the process/progress was logical one and evolved from the necessities of entrepreneurial thinking.
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Related blogs:
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In Radevormwald, a very unique vision was realised, albeit under the premise of profitability. Be that as it may, the textile company Johann Wülfing & Sohn anticipated conceptions of the social city and built a complete infrastructure very early.
Always ahead - Johann Wülfing & Sohn
The history of the textile company is linked to some superlatives. The company is - or better, was - one of the oldest textile businesses of the world. It was established in 1674 and started producing industrially manufactured fabrics and cloths in Lennep.
As a protest against the French occupation and Napoleon‘s trade restrictions, the company moved to Eupen in Belgium. Wülfing imported top-notch machinery of his time from there to Lennep.
1816, the complete company moved to nearby Dahlerau to improve the efficient use of water power - Wülfing set up his business in a closed hammer mill. The company was able to grow, soon, 1000 people worked there. To provide them with appropriate accomodation, residential buildings were constructed. Those were - according to the standards of the times - more spacious, their architectural style reminding of classicism. They were different from the usual working-class quarters.
A complete infrastructure
Step by step, a complete infrastructure emerged in Dahlerau, with doctor, kindergartens, and stores. As of 1827, a street led to the premises, 1890, the city was connected to the train line and got its own station. There was also a post office, and public baths with tubs and showers. Another superlative: the still working 400 PS steam engine exhibited in the museum, the biggest one in the whole region. 1921, a hydraulic turbine facility started started generating electricity for the complete district of Lennep. The textile city was really self-sustaining - in several respects.
After WW II, the company was listed among the world‘s leading businesses with a yearly production rate of 3.6 million metres of fabric - until it got into trouble due to the economy crisis in the 80s. 1993, the company filed for bankruptcy, and 1996, the company was closed for good. The operative machinery was sold to Asia.
Residents and former workers preserved machines, looms, and historical documents - and after years of debates, they were finally supported by he state. The museum is now professionalised. But this is just one facet of the idiosyncratic charm clinging to the term „textile city“.
The textile city Wülfing is a singular example of urban development planning almost unsurpassed until today. Old and new projects don‘t go that far that they reach such a high level of versatile autarky. In this case, there were no long discussions about the feasibility of this kind of model - the process/progress was logical one and evolved from the necessities of entrepreneurial thinking.
Related videos:
- How to become a "creative" city - Liverpool after the Capital of Culture year 2008
- "Transforming a Metropolis" - Prof. Dr. Claus Leggewie on the future of the Ruhr
Related blogs:
Go to channel:
Sat, 05.02.2011
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