Lights are still burning in the coal mine
The place is Oer-Erkenschwick, in the heart of the Ruhr region - an area pockmarked by disused mines - the so-called “Zechen” or collieries. One of them is “Zeche Ewald Fortsetzung”, which was bought by Yesser Falfoul - a man with a vision: His plan is to revitalise the site, which was shut down in the 1990s, with a multi-faceted design concept and make it accessible to the public. The striking iconic halls of the former colliery are to house restaurants, a concept store and a lighting shop. The “Magazin”, the largest of the brick buildings, featuring an almost ornamental façade, was to take centre stage - so Falfoul focused on interior design in harmony with the striking architecture. Concrete, steel and glass are the characteristic materials of the old colliery building. Huge corners and sturdy pillars - typical hallmarks of the industrial style - exude a vibe of solidity built to last for centuries.
A beautiful lighting ambience, matching the somewhat dim, industrial interior of the colliery, was paramount for the design. Falfoul chose to work with Wever & Ducré for its advice, service and bold designs. CORK, for example, adorns the hall ceilings as a modern, iconic chandelier out of glass bottles, combining elements of industrial design with upcycling. ROOMOR reflects the flair of the bare brick walls and harmoniously complements the “genius loci”, the spirit of the place. The WIRO series, a wiry and down-to-earth pendant, is also featured as the luminaire of the hour. Dark meets light, glass and mirrored surfaces illuminate the weighty industrial architecture. No luminaire could fit this better than MIRRO, which picks up on the theme with its mirrored surface and generously casts light into the room. The glare-free recessed luminaire DEEP sets additional accents, visually enabling the rooms of the colliery to "breathe". This creates space and makes you want to explore the hidden corners and guarded secrets.
For Yesser Falfoul, it was crucial to “push the boat out” lighting-wise and reawaken the centuries-old tradition with a lighting concept that was as authentic as it was bold. Light, according to the owner, was the most important way to adequately illuminate the building and draw attention to the offered products. “In the end, it’s also a matter of feelings.” Well, we feel that he has been very successful with breathing new life into the colliery - more than 120 years after it was built.
