In July 2015, Welterbe-Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, which was founded by the Essen project developer KÖLBL KRUSE and RAG Montan Immobilien GmbH, began the construction work on the former Materialsammellagerplatz of the 1/2/8 Gründerschachtanlage in Essen. The Dortmund construction company Freundlieb erected the new building according to the plans of the 1st prize winner of the architectural competition already held in 2010, MGF-Architekten from Stuttgart. The design is characterised by the urban planning specifications of the UNESCO World Heritage Zollverein. The outer shell of the building is in line with the design of the Zollverein colliery. Closed railing elements alternate with glazed areas. A vertical grid forms the order of the concrete parapets with the transparent glass areas. Courtyards and the atrium are creating a communicative and bright place for inner-university communication. The university was completed in the summer of 2017 and started operations in the winter semester of 2017/2018. The 19,000 m² building, on the site of the once most modern colliery in Europe, offers space for around 500 students and 70 employees. In addition to its headquarters in Essen-Werden, Zollverein is the second Folkwang Campus in the city of Essen. In future, the Zollverein location will not only have international significance as a world cultural heritage site, but will also attract important talents to the region as an innovative location for teaching and further education.
