DOI article:
Dywan, Tomasz: Od „szkoły berlińskiej” do secesji: przyczynek do architektury miejskich zakładów przemysłowych Lwowa w latach 1858–1914
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.51255#0220
of those buildings was the sparing use of “severe” architectural detail (window
frames, acroterions, tondos, etc.) - the motifs, which were modelled on the ar-
chitecture of Ancient Greece or the Florentine Renaissance of the second half
of the fifteenth century26. It should be noted that in his design for the Lviv gas-
works, Unruh used the language of Schinkefs “economical and durable” forms,
described above, popular in German countries in 1840-1860, and most suitable
for industrial buildings, which he nonetheless adapted to the spatial and financial
conditions of the Lviv project.
The gasworks’ structure and its technical equipment, as described, were suffi-
cient to produce only smali amounts of gas. However, when the annual production
exceeded 0.5 million m3 in 1868 and began to increase dynamically, approaching
the volume of 1 million m3 of gas at the end of the 1870S,27 it became necessary to
expand the plant. The building permits granted by the Lviv Municipality testify
that the expansion was carried out in the years 1877-1878. At that time, a bat-
tery of six horizontal retort furnaces was erected in the remaining free space in
the retort house, and a second industrial chimney was built. Increasing the plant s
production capacity required the expansion of the installation for gas cooling
and purification. I suppose they were placed in the desulphurization building,
which was being extended. It has also been decided that a separate building
should be erected for the regeneration of bog iron ore, which was drawn up on
the preserved plans of the gasworks from September 1877 and December 1886
on the Southern side of the desulphurisation facility.28 A much larger gasholder
with water tank, capable of storing 2236 m3 of gas, was constructed at that time.
This time the metal beli of the tank was not encased, which was associated with
the use of a water heating system in its pool during the winter, using steam boil-
ers.29 A little earlier, in 1874, an annex of an ammonia water distillery was added
to the eastern wali of the retort house. The next year, ammonia sourcing and
sales were started at the Lviv plant.30
In the penultimate decade of the nineteenth century, there were no subsequent
expansions to the gasworks, as in 1882 the municipal government decided to take
over the plant, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement from 1856;
26 E. Bórsch-Supan, Berliner Baukunst, pp. 32,41-42 (Fig. 9,50,52); M. Mislin, Industriearchitektur,
p. 204 (Abb. 217).
27 The volume of gas production of the Lviv gas plant is given by Tomasz Dywan {Przemysł ga-
zowniczy, pp. 118-119 [tab. 1]).
28 The archival unit, within which the design documentation of the Lviv gas plant has been or-
ganised, does not contain detailed projects showing the regeneration building of the bog iron
ore or the expansion of the desulfurization plant, hence the description and analysis of these
buildings was not provided. The fact of their construction is confirmed by the generał plans
of the gasworks: dało, Municipal Gas Plant in Lviv (further: file 599), description 1, case 4,
“Situationsplan der Gas Anstalt Lemberg”, Lemberg xi 1877, f. 25; ibidem, file 2, description 1, case
2101, “Plan sytuacyjny zakładu gazowego”, edited by K. Voss, Lviv 9 xn 1886, f. 129. On the ex-
pansion of the gasworks, see also T. Dywan, Przemysł gazowniczy, p. 105.
29 dało, file 2, description 1, case 2ioi,“Gasanstalt Lemberg. Gasometer”, Dessau 8 111877, f. 136.
30 Dessau. Zwanzigster Geschdftsbericht des Direktoriums der Deutschen Continental-Gas-Gesellschaft
zu Dessau (yorgetragen in der 20. ordentłichen Generał-Versammłung am 23. Marz 1875),“Journal
fur Gasbeleuchtung und Wasserversorgung”, 18,1875, issue 7, p. 268; Dessau. Einundzwanzister
Geschdftsbericht des Direktoriums der Deutschen Continental-Gas-Gesellschaft zu Dessau, yorgetra-
gen in der21. ordentłichen General-Versammlungam 14. Marz 1876,“Journal fur Gasbeleuchtung
und Wasserversorgung”, 19,1876, issue 6, p. 181.
From “Berlin school” to Art Nouveau: contribution to the study of architecture...
219
frames, acroterions, tondos, etc.) - the motifs, which were modelled on the ar-
chitecture of Ancient Greece or the Florentine Renaissance of the second half
of the fifteenth century26. It should be noted that in his design for the Lviv gas-
works, Unruh used the language of Schinkefs “economical and durable” forms,
described above, popular in German countries in 1840-1860, and most suitable
for industrial buildings, which he nonetheless adapted to the spatial and financial
conditions of the Lviv project.
The gasworks’ structure and its technical equipment, as described, were suffi-
cient to produce only smali amounts of gas. However, when the annual production
exceeded 0.5 million m3 in 1868 and began to increase dynamically, approaching
the volume of 1 million m3 of gas at the end of the 1870S,27 it became necessary to
expand the plant. The building permits granted by the Lviv Municipality testify
that the expansion was carried out in the years 1877-1878. At that time, a bat-
tery of six horizontal retort furnaces was erected in the remaining free space in
the retort house, and a second industrial chimney was built. Increasing the plant s
production capacity required the expansion of the installation for gas cooling
and purification. I suppose they were placed in the desulphurization building,
which was being extended. It has also been decided that a separate building
should be erected for the regeneration of bog iron ore, which was drawn up on
the preserved plans of the gasworks from September 1877 and December 1886
on the Southern side of the desulphurisation facility.28 A much larger gasholder
with water tank, capable of storing 2236 m3 of gas, was constructed at that time.
This time the metal beli of the tank was not encased, which was associated with
the use of a water heating system in its pool during the winter, using steam boil-
ers.29 A little earlier, in 1874, an annex of an ammonia water distillery was added
to the eastern wali of the retort house. The next year, ammonia sourcing and
sales were started at the Lviv plant.30
In the penultimate decade of the nineteenth century, there were no subsequent
expansions to the gasworks, as in 1882 the municipal government decided to take
over the plant, in accordance with the provisions of the agreement from 1856;
26 E. Bórsch-Supan, Berliner Baukunst, pp. 32,41-42 (Fig. 9,50,52); M. Mislin, Industriearchitektur,
p. 204 (Abb. 217).
27 The volume of gas production of the Lviv gas plant is given by Tomasz Dywan {Przemysł ga-
zowniczy, pp. 118-119 [tab. 1]).
28 The archival unit, within which the design documentation of the Lviv gas plant has been or-
ganised, does not contain detailed projects showing the regeneration building of the bog iron
ore or the expansion of the desulfurization plant, hence the description and analysis of these
buildings was not provided. The fact of their construction is confirmed by the generał plans
of the gasworks: dało, Municipal Gas Plant in Lviv (further: file 599), description 1, case 4,
“Situationsplan der Gas Anstalt Lemberg”, Lemberg xi 1877, f. 25; ibidem, file 2, description 1, case
2101, “Plan sytuacyjny zakładu gazowego”, edited by K. Voss, Lviv 9 xn 1886, f. 129. On the ex-
pansion of the gasworks, see also T. Dywan, Przemysł gazowniczy, p. 105.
29 dało, file 2, description 1, case 2ioi,“Gasanstalt Lemberg. Gasometer”, Dessau 8 111877, f. 136.
30 Dessau. Zwanzigster Geschdftsbericht des Direktoriums der Deutschen Continental-Gas-Gesellschaft
zu Dessau (yorgetragen in der 20. ordentłichen Generał-Versammłung am 23. Marz 1875),“Journal
fur Gasbeleuchtung und Wasserversorgung”, 18,1875, issue 7, p. 268; Dessau. Einundzwanzister
Geschdftsbericht des Direktoriums der Deutschen Continental-Gas-Gesellschaft zu Dessau, yorgetra-
gen in der21. ordentłichen General-Versammlungam 14. Marz 1876,“Journal fur Gasbeleuchtung
und Wasserversorgung”, 19,1876, issue 6, p. 181.
From “Berlin school” to Art Nouveau: contribution to the study of architecture...
219