Quake Arena, Germany

The Quake Arena is an impressive warehouse in Germany. In recent years, this location seems to have fallen into obscurity. Recently, images had started to appear once more. Incidentally, indicating the building was open to explore once more. It seems the site is destined for renovation. With this in mind, a quick visit was essential.

Inside the Quake Arena

All four floors of the Quake Arena open into this large atrium. This makes the building very light and airy inside. High above this atrium, the roof trusses merge into a star shape at the centre of the skylight. This creates a wonderful architectural photograph when viewed from directly below.

Load-bearing concrete columns support this building; forming a concrete skeleton. On the ground floor, these columns are octagonal in shape. This grants them extra strength. On the upper floors, the columns have a square cross-section. Arched beams radiate from these columns which further support this four-storey structure.

What was this building?

The Quake Arena was a warehouse block, built around 1910. The site originally served an adjacent railway car and machine factory. The railway factory date back to the mid-1800s. After various mergers, the company shifted towards road vehicle diesel engine manufacture. Rail wagon production ceased by the 1960s.

The Quake Arena is four storeys tall. The supporting structure of the building is concrete. The exterior walls are clad in brick. The window lintels are stone. The windows are large and rectangular; typical of this period of Art Deco-inspired industry.

The company faltered in the mid-1990s. Subsequently, several buildings on this site were destroyed by fire. Most of the land around the Quake Arena has now been cleared. The protected monument status of this iconic building protects it. It stands resolute, in stark contrast to the cleared wasteland which surrounds it.