Page 260 - Beyond Decommissioning

Experience and lessons learned 241

The Watertower Sint Jansklooster is situated at De Wieden, the Netherlands, in the
middle of a protected nature reserve. The water tower was turned into a watchtower.
A spectacular architectural path leads up to a height of 45 m. A closed stairway leads
to the first floor on 4 m. height. Here is a 24-m-high room. The new stairs that lead
through the body of the water tower have been built of wood. This is intended on one
side to add a warm element contrasting with the concrete walls of the tower. On the
other side it shows an ecological intention in that it uses a raw natural material. Where
the old stairs climb alongside the walls, the new stairs zigzag across the tower to rein-
force the sense of space. The new stairs lead up to the level of the floor just below the
huge concrete reservoir at 28 m height. From there the original stairs went up through
a tight space next to the exterior of the tank. Now steel winding stairs depart from the
floor below the reservoir and go right through the bottom of the tank. The stairs wind
up next to the walls and give full perception of the immense structure. The ‘lid’ of the
tank has been partly taken away to install steps up to the observation place. The trans-
parent floor gives to the visitor the impression of being hanging in the middle of the
tank. Four large windows have been opened next to the four small existing ones and
offer an impressive view of the landscape (Dezeen, 2014b).
A water tower converted into a home can be found in the middle of the Brasschaat
forest in Belgium. The old water tower had been built to provide a house and service
buildings with running water. The tower remained in use until 1937, when new water
supply system was commissioned for the Brasschaat municipality. The water com-
pany showed no interest in the tower due to its obsolete construction technique. In
1950, the municipality acquired the house and surrounding land. The tower fell into
a state of neglect. Eventually, the council had to decide whether to demolish or to sell
and repurpose it. The latter approach was chosen and the new owner was fond of the
unique properties of the structure. Instead of reconstructing the old structure anew,
the conversion project stressed its industrial features: glass substituted for brick, so
the metal stairways connecting the floors can be seen through transparent walls,
and concrete floors are visible from the outside. The main living area is found at
the base of the old tower (Recycle Nation, 2010b).

6.6.2 Lighthouses

Lighthouses are not typical features of industrial sites; this section is meant to draw the
readers’ attention to reuse options for tall structures such as metereological towers,
pylons, etc. For lighthouses, (Atlas Obscura, 2014) reports some redevelopment
options concretely adopted worldwide, for example, museums, studios, transmission
towers, wildlife refuges, art spaces, luxury hotels. Fig. 6.35 shows the lighthouse
“Grebeni” built in 1872 on the cliffs near the entrance to the Great Gate of Dubrovnik,
Croatia. Today, it offers luxurious accommodation.

6.6.3 Observatories

Originally constructed as a fort, Clifton Observatory, near Bristol, UK dates back to
prehistorical times. It has been destroyed and renovated a number of times and is now
an English Heritage grade II listed building. In 1766, James Walters integrated a