Worthy Illumination
Exciting light installation in Borken

That the world of mining, when looked at from above, is at least as attractive as from underground, is proven by the view from the Viewing Tower in the Brown Coal Museum in Borken, Hessen. If you dare to make the 44-metre walk up the upward-sloping conveyor belt, you will be rewarded with a panoramic view across the surrounding countryside. Before your eyes is the re-cultivated mine, green hills growing from slag heaps, and a new lake landscape partly protected as a nature reserve.

The fantastic view is enhanced by a deep look into the history and present of the former mining town of Borken. "Until a few years ago, this viewing tower was still used as a coal bunker where the brown coal was temporarily stored," explains museum director Gerhard Lenz. Today, the 14-metre high object is the architectural highlight in the museum. Lenz explained, "We have managed to convert this coal bunker without sustainably changing the original architecture." As a result, a varied image of the industrial culture over time has been created.

The architects of "crep D" from Kassel were charged with converting the coal bunker. The architectural office crowned the viewing tower with an illuminated cube made of EPS.CRYSTAL profiles. As an illuminated advertising, the landmark, which was realised by the company Zinke from Kassel, can be seen from some distance and points the way to a special museum even in the dark.

The EPS tensioning technology has considerable wind resistance. The material is robust, low-maintenance and transparent. It has convinced us to a hundred percent and we can recommend it in any case," says Gerhard Lenz. In order to give groups of visitor’s safe access to the tower, the steps of the new viewing tower have been fitted with non-slip materials and grates. The result is worth looking at.

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