Zeche Zollverein: Site for Special Events

Its size and its relationship with industrial culture. The Grand Hall ZOLLVEREIN® is by far the largest event space on the grounds of the Kokerei Zollverein in Essen. This former coal mine is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It symbolizes the transformation that has taken place in the Ruhr District, and the changing attitudes to the way former industrial sites are used. As late as the 1990s, the first thing people thought about doing with abandoned collieries was to tear them down and build something else in their place. It took a new mentality to preserve these places and to give them new meaning. The Kokerei Zollverein, which is put to diverse cultural use, is the perfect example of this. And the Grand Hall ZOLLVEREIN® has now made the facility another attraction richer.

In live event management, we distinguish between different types of event locations. A special-event location is either related to a particular topic, or, as in our case, relates to industrial culture. A major shift has taken place, especially in the Ruhr District, from heavy industry to a service-based industry. We do marketing for live events at the Grand Hall ZOLLVEREIN®, which can accommodate as many as 2,400 guests. We offer a full range of services, from organizing to use the space, along with the facilities and technical systems required, to planning and running the event. We got off to a great start in January with a two-day conference on “Digital Transformation”, which was attended by 500 delegates from the EU Commission in Brussels.

A complete fire and voice alarm system, as is required for public venues by the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. The numbers alone will give you an idea of the project’s dimensions: 26 manual fire alarms, 121 loudspeakers, 203 fire alarms, 575 meters of smoke aspiration pipes, and 13,100 meters of cables. Moreover, there are various control units for elevators, lighting, and smoke extraction. Ideally, you’ll never have to use any of these elements. But in an emergency, all of them have to work perfectly. This is why I’m so happy that Bosch is also responsible for the whole works. After all, they are the experts, and they allow me to concentrate on my work as contractor and operator of the Grand Hall.