Combining the New and The Old – A city’s development

Everywhere you look you see modern glass buildings or concrete constructions that just have a sterile look. Everything is clean, everything is neat, and everything has to be in its place. That’s not an unusual or abnormal development for a city, but do you want to have every building look that way?

Münster used to be a port city with the typical atmosphere and appearance and even if this has changed it needs to be remembered. Those old dirty brick houses where big companies manufactured and stored their goods have their very own and interesting flair that somehow is way more exciting than those new pretty high-tech buildings. But where have they gone? Mostly they were demolished when the industry started moving to the outside of cities and new shopping or living districts were build. But in some places, even in big cities, there are a few spots left. In Münster this area is the Hawerkamp. A scruffy part of the city where those old halls and abandoned factories offer place for a new alternative culture. Combining the old and the new.

A lot has changed since this industrial phase. Old manufacturing buildings have become night clubs and a main location for going out and the places of old businesses became home to artists, musicians and a whole new and young generation. But the Hawerkamp still has the old charm of an industrial area and has not lost its vibe. That is exactly the reason why it is such a special place. It is not a pretty spot with a noble look. It has its own appearance and its own atmosphere. An old industrial park reinvented and recreated. Demolishing it and building new clubs, new artist’s workshops and new offices, basically just building the same stuff again just in a new modern way, would never even come close to what the Hawerkamp is now. A piece of the city’s history integrated into a new lifestyle, which gives an impression of what our city has looked and felt like many years ago. That is the special feeling of this unique area in the heart of Münster.

But it wasn’t always that easy for the subculture to exist alongside the city’s plans to expand the office areas and create more and more expensive new districts with noble houses and new stores. For years the Hawerkamp had to tremble everyday whether it was going to be shut down. People thought about it as the ‘ugly side’ of Münster which needed to be hidden or completely remodelled. To save its charm and stop people from tearing it down, 25 years ago some supporters got together and founded the association “Erhaltet den Hawerkamp” (German for “Maintain/save the Hawerkamp”), which today is called “Hawerkamp 31”. They fought for a quarter decade to save the city’s old industrial site and made a whole new place out of it full of unique musical and artistic culture, while estimating its old flair and not destroying it. Today allegedly 100.000 people visit the Hawerkamp a year which is really much, regarding the fact that Münster has about 300.000 residents in total.

For young people, living in Münster, it is the number one place to go out and party. Seven clubs, located in the centre, easy to reach and modern alternative music. DJs and bands from all over the country and even from abroad come here to play their music and party with young people in a very special atmosphere. But the Hawerkamp is not only known for its nightlife. Two times a year more than 10.000 people come to visit the location to celebrate the two big festivals that take place in the summer. The “Docklands” and the “Vainstream” festival. They almost couldn't be any more different, but both are worth a try! Docklands this year was on the 13th of June for the sixth time. Since it started it has developed to one of the biggest and most popular festivals throughout Europe with electronic music. An open air event during the day and a huge party in the clubs at night until the sun comes up again. On the first weekend of July the Vainstream festival takes place. This year it celebrates its 10th anniversary. Metal, Rock and Punk all day long with big headliners impress the crowds each time.

Saving the Hawerkamp from demolition 25 years ago brought a big cultural heritage to the young generation and hopefully will still exist for the next one.

Laura Antrecht

 

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