Power Station Leipzig by atelier st

The transformation of the historic Leipzig power station site marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of industrial architecture, where energy transition, heritage conservation, and contemporary design converge. Designed by atelier st, the new Southern Combined Heat and Power Plant (Südwerk) extends the legacy of a former brown-coal power station into a future defined by hydrogen-based energy production.

Originally constructed between 1908 and 1910, the Südwerk formed part of Leipzig’s early industrial infrastructure, characterized by monumental brick architecture typical of early 20th-century power generation facilities. Although decommissioned in 1996, the rapid urban growth of Leipzig necessitated the continued use of the site as a key energy supplier. The shift from fossil fuels to natural gas and future-ready hydrogen technology demanded a new architectural response—one that would respect the site’s listed industrial heritage while addressing contemporary technical requirements.

Architecture as Urban Mediator

Located directly behind railway tracks and Bornaische Strasse, and adjacent to residential neighborhoods, the new power station complex required exceptional urban sensitivity. The project introduces three new buildings—a power station building, a gas plant building, and a pump house—each conceived as a highly technical structure with fixed dimensions and spatial constraints dictated by machinery and infrastructure.

Rather than focusing on form-making, atelier st concentrated on the building envelope, treating the façade as the primary architectural interface between industry and city. In an unusual move for an infrastructure project, Stadtwerke Leipzig organized a national architectural competition, from which atelier st’s concept of a “ceramic continuation” emerged as the winning proposal.

Ceramic Continuity and Material Innovation

The design draws directly from the material language of the historic power station buildings, which feature yellow, brown, and reddish clinker bricks. These tones are reinterpreted and transferred to the new structures using fired clay façade panels, establishing a visual continuity across generations of industrial architecture.

Given the massive scale of the new buildings, the façades are articulated with a finer vertical subdivision than the historic masonry structures. Glazed ceramic panels with a subtle, irregular linear texture introduce depth, variation, and a dynamic interplay of light and shadow. This ceramic curtain wall system—developed as a project-specific façade solution—softens the monumental volumes while maintaining their industrial clarity.

At the base of the buildings, traditional clinker brickwork is retained, grounding the new structures within the historic context. Green-glazed formwork bricks appear intermittently within the masonry, subtly disrupting the otherwise strict order of projecting lisenas and adding tactile richness.

Contextual Integration and Sustainability

The partly slanted ends of the plinth floors echo the silhouettes of neighboring buildings, reinforcing a dialogue with the surrounding urban fabric. All technical elements—doors, gates, and service cladding—are carefully color-coordinated with the façade, ensuring visual cohesion despite the plant’s complex operational requirements.

A façade greening system, suspended on wire ropes at the base of the buildings, further integrates the abstract industrial forms into the surrounding landscape. This green layer acts as a soft transitional zone between infrastructure and public space, reinforcing the project’s role as both an energy facility and an architectural landmark.

A New Model for Industrial Architecture

As the first gas turbine power plant designed to operate on 100% hydrogen, the Power Station Leipzig represents a technological milestone. Architecturally, it stands as a compelling example of how infrastructure projects can transcend pure functionality to become urban mediators, preserving industrial identity while embracing innovation, sustainability, and design excellence.

All the Photographs are works of Atelier ST / Viet duc Nguyen