Category Archives: Architecture

Kernwasser Wunderland, Kalkar

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photo by KungfumanKernwasser Wunderland, Kalkar, Germany, inaugurated 2005.
Leisure center established in former nuclear breeder facility SNR-300, whose construction started in 1972 but never started electricity production and was finally purchased by Dutch investor Hennie van der Most in 1995.

In the 1980´s fast nuclear breeder plants became unpopular and were banned from political agendas around the globe, mainly because of the Chernobyl accident. Today the debate regarding reuse of nuclear fuel is on the agenda again, thanks to global warming.

www.kernwasser-wunderland.de/

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wunderland_Kalkar

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SNR-300

www.kernies-familienpark.de/kalkar map

Renovation of Ford River Rouge complex

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Impressive renovation project of what once was the largest industrial complex in the world, and notorious for its pollution (in the 1970´s the river itself even caught fire!). The renovation by architect William McDonough implemented the worlds largest vegetation roof and the penetration of daylight into the assembly halls.

The Ford Motor Company Rouge plant was inaugurated in Dearborn (Detroit) Michigan in 1917, employed 100.000 people at its peak and was renovated in 2002.

www.thehenryford.org/rouge/regeneration.asp

http://info.detnews.com/history/story/index.cfm?id=189&category=business

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/River_Rouge_Plant

http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/10510

www.mcdonoughpartners.com/projects/ford-dtp/

www.ford.com/en/goodWorks/environment/cleanerManufacturing/rougeRenovation.htm

photo by Charles Sheeles

green roof