Wiebengahal, Former ceramics factory in Céramique district, Maastricht, Netherlands.
The Wiebengahal is a former factory building in Maastricht with a distinctive concrete structure designed to house pottery production. The space features reinforced concrete supports and a curved roof with skylights that flood the interior with daylight.
The factory was built in 1912 and represented a major shift from craft-based pottery production to industrial manufacturing methods. Architect Jan Wiebenga designed it for the Société Ceramique, introducing new construction techniques that would influence later industrial buildings.
The building represents the New Objectivity movement in Dutch architecture through its functional design and structural innovations in concrete construction methods.
The building is easily accessible on foot and located in Maastricht's Ceramique district, which is centrally situated. The surrounding area is walkable and worth exploring as it contains other converted industrial buildings with similar heritage value.
The shell roof is remarkably thin, with a profile that tapers from base to peak in a way that surprised many engineers of the era. This slender design allowed the factory floor to remain mostly column-free, giving workers an open workspace.
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