Former industrial sites such as the LUWA site in Muri are special places. They are linked to their surroundings in many ways. Historically, they stand for upswing and expansion in the industrial age; at the same time, as brownfield sites, they reflect the economic transition from an industrial to a service society. The LUWA site is an example of the redevelopment of an industrial wasteland and the conscious examination of its industrial past. ‍

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Industrial brownfields not only have their own history and significance in their own right, they have also shaped the image and identity of entire cities - whether as a major employer or as a producer of a particular, widely known product. Industrial wastelands are therefore always associated with emotional values in the public perception. From a structural point of view, industrial facilities have always been designed for a specific production process, resulting in different typologies of industrial buildings that are better or worse suited for conversion depending on their structure.1 The transformation of former industrial sites is therefore a complex task. For planners, developers and investors, the question therefore arises as to how the linking of industrial heritage and new development succeeds-can, should or even must something be mandatorily preserved? Often, the opportunities for use, the expected added value and development risks are very close together.

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The history of the LUWA site and the treatment of the existing ‍

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Originally, Otto-Wild AG settled on the site with its tube factory and boiler forge. The Wild company was the largest industrial enterprise in Muri at the time. At the beginning of the 1960s, the ventilation systems and apparatus factory LUWA AG, founded by the Bechtler brothers in Zurich in 1935, gained a foothold in Muri and acquired the factory facilities. LUWAAG was also an important employer in Muri until the 1980s.

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However, structural change, globalization and diversification of the product range finally led to the abandonment of the site at the end of the 2000s. As early as 2008, the LUWA site was one of five industrial sites in the Aargau residential site competition, which was intended to show at a conceptual level what conversion to a predominantly residential site might look like. Already in the winning project of that time, Hall 5 crystallized as the center of the neighborhood.

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In 2009, Feldmann-Immobilien AG acquired the site and developed this project idea further. The goal was to develop a new village center with about 200 apartments as well as offices, commercial enterprises, studios and restaurants on the 21,000 square meter area of the site. Although the former factory halls of the LUWA site were not listed as historic monuments and therefore there was no obligation on the part of the authorities to preserve them, the decision was made not to completely demolish the old structures. Instead, Hall 5, which was most suitable for conversion, was to be preserved as a witness to the site's almost century-old industrial past and as an identity-forming building for the site as a whole. In this way, the social and emotional significance of the site for Muri was also taken into account.

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From a purely yield-related point of view, a complete demolition of the old industrial facilities would certainly have been the more economical solution. Contaminated sites, remediation costs and the challenges of building and planning law were only one side of the development risks. Also, due to its size of 110mlong, almost 15m wide and 10m high, its suitability for investors and use was questionable. However, the long-term added value of Hall 5 as a name and image generator for the new quarter was also seen. In order to reduce the development risk, Feldmann-Immobilien AG agreed with the municipality that Hall 5 would not be subject to a utilization rate.

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This created greater design freedom for the integration of later uses in the building. In return, an operating and utilization concept stipulated that Hall 5 should be used primarily for public and public-interest purposes. By means of the operating and utilization concept, Hall 5 was to become a multifunctional venue as a cultural and event hall, with a restaurant and studios for a variety of small uses.

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The conversion of Hall 5 ‍

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When Hall 5 was being converted, the question of how to deal with the existing structure arose in concrete terms. To what extent is it permissible to intervene in the existing substance so that the original character and the former function remain recognizable? And which interventions are necessary to adapt the existing substance to today's requirements?especially the energetic renovation is always difficult. The industrial charm associated with the conversion of old industrial buildings today belies the fact that working in the factory halls was anything but pleasant in those days. They did not have to meet any energy or noise requirements. It was hot in summer, cold in winter, and the large machines often made it noisy and stuffy.

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However, thermal insulation would have significantly changed both the interior and exterior appearance of Hall 5. The problem was solved by building additional structures into the hall made of wood and glass. Two three-story wooden cubes house the studios and large-scale glazing allows for a contemporary catering operation, while at the same time the old industrial hall remains visible. The structures of the hall's interior walls were left in place and only painted where necessary to preserve the industrial character.

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Relics such as the crane runways and crane cab extending across the hall, electrical installations, power boxes and a signal horn are additional reminders of the time of industrial production. Hall 5 was also left in its external appearance. The exterior façade was repaired where necessary and its color was refreshed. The existing façade window strip was retained in its effect over the entire façade, and the original entrance gates and doors were also preserved.

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The new heart of the district - Hall 5 as a meeting place and pulse generator for the LUWA site‍

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The aim of the conversion of Hall 5 was to create a heart of the district that would give the LUWA site an image and create a sense of identity. However, a building alone does not make a district. It needs the interplay of the built environment, possible uses and shared experiences. As a multifunctional meeting place, Hall 5 will create precisely these experiences. At the same time, Hall 5 is also a development engine for the neighborhood.

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The mixture of gastronomy, common use space and studios makes it possible that new ideas can arise and be implemented again and again, that residents and users can appropriate the spaces anew and set impulses. In this way, identification with the neighborhood and a positive image can develop. Because Hall 5 also creates a connection to the outside world in the village of Muri by being open to everyone.

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This distinguishes the LUWA site from other developments. In spring 2019, the first residents will have moved in, soon to be followed by the first businesses and service providers - they are all the neighborhood pioneers, bringing the area and Hall 5 to life. Only a few years will show whether the "bill" will work out. Even though the construction work is almost complete, the LUWA site is still in its infancy and must first be given the chance to develop and grow.

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