Coal and steel have shaped the Ruhr region since the 18th century, until the coal and then the steel crisis hit in the 1950s. The Ruhr region is a story of setbacks but also of change and transformation. Where once the hard work in mines and blast furnaces was the unifying element, it is now sport.
Former heavy industry facilities are being torn down or even converted to make room for sports.
Some of the largest German soccer clubs have their origins here. In addition, the diversity of sports in the Ruhr region is extremely high. There is a high density of sports clubs and competitive sports produce a particularly large number of top athletes.
It is a region that is still changing and searching for a new identity without denying its past. The work gives a glimpse into aforementioned past, the present but also into the future of this very region that is preparing for the Olympic Games in 2032.