This modern addition to the historic Walchensee hydroelectric power plant in Germany provides clean energy and an elegant architectural complement to a historic structure. Breaking from the 1920s peaked roofs and turrets of the original building, Robert Maier Architekten took pains to carefully integrate the new structure into the landscape by burying much of it underground. The minimalist design consists of a pair of rectangular concrete volumes that emerge from the grassy slope of a dam, their facades subtly enhanced by the wavelike surface of a concrete formliner. The design’s simplicity belies the complexity of the three Kaplan turbines within, which can generate enough power for 200,000 households.
Team: Robert Maier with Sebastian Romahn
The design’s simplicity belies the complexity of the three Kaplan turbines within, which can generate enough power for 200,000 households.