Visual Analysis of The Umlauftank 2

VISUAL ANALYSIS PAPER
TOPIC:
A Detailed Visual & critical Analysis of
The Umlauftank 2 or UT2
Prepared By:
Mr. XXX
Instructor
Laura Martínez de Guereñu
Architecture History and Theory III – Modernism

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1. Introduction
Figure 1 The Unusual Building- UT2 in Berlin
 Building Name: Circulation tank 2, Umlauftank 2, or UT2, "Rosa Röhre"
 Location: Island in Tiergarden, Berlin Germany
 Architectural style: Modern
 Architect: Leo Ludwig
 Designed in Year: 1967
 Project Timeline: 1969 to 1974
 Recognition: The largest circulation and cavitation tank in the world.
The Umlauftank 2 is a research complex which was built by the Research Institute for
Water and Naval Architecture (Versuchsanstalt für Wasser- und Schiffsbau - VWS) at the
Technical University of Berlin. The Umlauftank 2 is the result of the last major construction
phase which lasted from 1969 to 1974. The "Rosa Röhre" was designed by Berlin architect
Ludwig Leo the UT2 was completed in 1974. This striking pink loop has a length of 120
meters and holds a water volume of 3300 tons.
The UT2 is the biggest circulation and cavitation tank on the planet and it's currently
a structure under Denkmalschutz. The structure was initially built for routine testing in
shipbuilding. It is not utilized for commercial activities but solely for research tasks of the
University (the Institute of Land and Sea Transport utilizes the circulation tank routinely)
About the Architect: Ludwig Leo (1924-2012) was a German designer. Regularly
refered to are his structure for the German Life Saving Society and the Circulation Tank.
Both are situated in Berlin and have just been conceded noteworthy landmark status. Leo
examined designing in Hamburg before coordinating the University of the Arts in Berlin

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(Hochschule der Künste) to contemplate engineering. He finished his examinations in 1954.
From there on he worked with different surely understood German planners. In 1956 he
opened his own studio in Berlin. In 1988, he was granted the German Critics' Prize.He is
often referred as the “Unusual Architect”.
2. Visual Analysis
On close observation of the historic structure & understanding the background of
construction, the preliminary visual analysis of the architecture can be presented as follows:
2.1.Form
Figure 2 The Building form is of a Ship
The architect Ludwig Leo has carefully understood the function of the structure and then
given it its form. He has studied all building utilities and created the external façade of the
structure in a wat the the “Form represents Function”. The building used in testing Ships is
designed in a Ship Analogy. The Umlauftank can be mistaken with an ocean liner stranded in the
middle of Berlin.
2.2. Structure
During the 1960s the "Umlauftank" - a cavitation tunnel to investigate hydrodynamics,
and make ecological and navigational building tests through scaled models of Ships - was too old
to fulfill the guidelines of the time and must be supplanted. Another tunnel must be fabricated.
This tunnel ended up being an enormous circuit pipe framework with a greatest measurement of
8 meters diameter. Water is siphoned through the circuit by two Diesel motors. Rather than