RUHRPOTT - When Coal Left Town

The Ruhr valley region in Germany called affectionately as "Ruhrpott" by Germans, which includes cities such as Duisburg, Essen, Oberhausen, Gelsenkirchen, Dortmund, and Bochum, was a key part in Germany's industrialization as it was home to coal mining and steel production.

The region takes its name partly from the river Ruhr, which runs south of this densely populated region. Meanwhile, the word “Pott” comes from “Kohlenpott” (meaning “coal pot”) and alludes to the area’s coal-mining past. For over 800 years, coal and steel production shaped the region’s development.

From the early 20th century, German miners lived in purpose-built communities designed to be a respite from the dangerous and dirty work below ground. These featured community swimming pools, well-tended gardens, pigeon huts and pubs.

With its own vernacular, songs, football clubs and church services dedicated to Saint Barbara, the patron saint of miners, generations-old mining traditions are deeply woven into the fabric of daily life in the region.

This body of work examines the current state of the remains now that coal mining is no longer an active industry. Still standing structures remain as historical monuments or will eventually be torn down. This work surveys what has been left behind and how the landscape represents this history through still existing architecture.