Wasserbauhalle, Post-war architectural structure in Darmstadt, Germany.
The Wasserbauhalle is a structure with a wave-shaped concrete roof spanning 70 meters in length and 25 meters in width, with external supports creating an unobstructed interior. After renovation in 2014, it now serves as a central workshop with large assembly areas and offices for the Technical University.
Ernst Neufert and Alfred Mehmel designed this structure in 1957 as a replacement for the hydraulic engineering facility destroyed during the 1944 bombing of Darmstadt. The new building embodied the desire to rebuild the damaged city using modern construction methods.
The building displays 1950s construction methods through its thin concrete shell and yellow clinker bricks, typical of university structures from that era. These material choices and shape reflect how architects then combined modern function with new design thinking.
The building is easily reached by public transport and located on the campus of the Technical University. Large open spaces make navigation straightforward, though access to certain areas may be restricted.
The building contains a 15-meter tower that once housed water tanks, reflecting its original purpose in hydraulic research. This tower design serves as a quiet reminder of the water engineering work that took place here for decades.
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