#Leipzig #Germany #1927
Description
Three domes were originally planned, although only two were ultimately realised. These were designed and engineered by the civil engineers Franz Dischinger and Hubert Rüsch. As Dischinger recognised that, in polygonal domes, loads are primarily transferred to the corner supports, he progressively reduced the number of internal columns in order to maximise usable interior space.
The result was a pair of octagonal domes, each measuring approximately 75 × 75 metres. Including their supporting structure, the domes reach a total height of 29 metres. At the time of their completion in 1927, they were the largest monolithic domes in the world. Their design also enables effective natural ventilation and ample daylight within the halls.
Description
Three domes were originally planned, although only two were ultimately realised. These were designed and engineered by the civil engineers Franz Dischinger and Hubert Rüsch. As Dischinger recognised that, in polygonal domes, loads are primarily transferred to the corner supports, he progressively reduced the number of internal columns in order to maximise usable interior space.
The result was a pair of octagonal domes, each measuring approximately 75 × 75 metres. Including their supporting structure, the domes reach a total height of 29 metres. At the time of their completion in 1927, they were the largest monolithic domes in the world. Their design also enables effective natural ventilation and ample daylight within the halls.
History
The idea for a wholesale market hall in Leipzig emerged in 1913. Its purpose was to provide local traders with fruit and vegetables through a centralised distribution hub. All growing, big cities were searching for solutions, like in Frankfurt (Main).
After Hubert Ritter was appointed City Building Councillor, a site was selected near the Bayerischer Bahnhof. The location offered excellent transport connections, including a railway link, a tram line running along An den Tierkliniken, and road access for lorries.
Between 1925 and 1927, Ritter collaborated with the company Dyckerhoff & Widmann AG on the development of double-curved shell domes. Based in Wiesbaden at the time, the firm had extensive expertise in reinforced and prestressed concrete construction. Among its most notable projects was the Centennial Hall in Wrocław, Poland. Ritter also visited and studied the Zeiss Planetarium Jena, which featured a comparable structural design and had opened in 1926.
Owing to its function as a fruit and vegetable market, the Großmarkthalle became popularly known among Leipzig residents as the “Kohlrabizirkus”, a nickname that remains in use today. The hall continued to operate as a food market until 1995, after which it was taken over by a range of companies, associations and clubs.
In autumn 2013, the domes were designated a Historic Landmark of Civil Engineering in Germany by the Federal Chamber of Engineers. As a result of its subsequent uses, the interior has since been divided by a partition wall, separating the two domed halls.
History
The idea for a wholesale market hall in Leipzig emerged in 1913. Its purpose was to provide local traders with fruit and vegetables through a centralised distribution hub. All growing, big cities were searching for solutions, like in Frankfurt (Main).
After Hubert Ritter was appointed City Building Councillor, a site was selected near the Bayerischer Bahnhof. The location offered excellent transport connections, including a railway link, a tram line running along An den Tierkliniken, and road access for lorries.
Between 1925 and 1927, Ritter collaborated with the company Dyckerhoff & Widmann AG on the development of double-curved shell domes. Based in Wiesbaden at the time, the firm had extensive expertise in reinforced and prestressed concrete construction. Among its most notable projects was the Centennial Hall in Wrocław, Poland. Ritter also visited and studied the Zeiss Planetarium Jena, which featured a comparable structural design and had opened in 1926.
Owing to its function as a fruit and vegetable market, the Großmarkthalle became popularly known among Leipzig residents as the “Kohlrabizirkus”, a nickname that remains in use today. The hall continued to operate as a food market until 1995, after which it was taken over by a range of companies, associations and clubs.
In autumn 2013, the domes were designated a Historic Landmark of Civil Engineering in Germany by the Federal Chamber of Engineers. As a result of its subsequent uses, the interior has since been divided by a partition wall, separating the two domed halls.
Sources
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