Farewell to the landmark: demolition of the high-rise building in Hochheide completed
Farewell to the landmark: demolition of the high-rise building in Hochheide completed
Duisburg, / Environmental engineering
On 27 July 2025, a significant chapter in urban development came to an end in the Hochheide district of Duisburg: the third and, for the time being, last of the so-called ‘White Giants’ in the Hochheide residential park was successfully demolished. The 21-storey high-rise building, 62 metres high and containing around 160 flats, had dominated the cityscape for decades. The building had stood empty since the last residents moved out in July 2020.
The controlled demolition was carried out after ten months of intensive planning and preparation by PORR Becker Abbruchtechnik. The demolition proceeded according to plan and without incident – a testament to the technical precision and expertise of the company carrying out the work.
The team had been working on gutting and preparing the building since December 2024. Around 300 kilograms of explosives were used for the demolition. The focus is now on sustainable material processing directly on site: around 80,000 tonnes of rubble will be crushed, sorted and largely recycled. Broken concrete will be processed into new building materials, while steel and metals will be fed into the material cycle in order to conserve resources and make raw materials usable again.
Our video documents the moment of the demolition and pays tribute to the achievements of all those involved in the process. The project is considered a milestone for PORR Becker Abbruchtechnik, the city of Duisburg and the transformation of the Hochheide district.
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