Fundaties ketelstation gezien vanaf den kalkoven. (October 1926.) 1926

This photograph from October 1926, by an anonymous photographer, captures the foundations of a "ketelstation" or boiler station, seen from a lime kiln. It's fascinating to consider the materials and processes that are both depicted and intrinsic to this image. The photograph itself, a silver gelatin print, was made through a chemical process dependent on industrial production and distribution, and it shows a scene equally tied to modernity. The boiler station under construction features timber frameworks, meticulously assembled, presumably to support the construction of concrete foundations. Look closely and you’ll notice the sheer amount of labor involved: preparing the ground, erecting the wooden supports, and the manual mixing and pouring of concrete. This photograph is not just a record of a construction site; it’s a document of labor and industry at work. It challenges us to think about the built environment not as a given, but as the result of immense effort and complex systems of production. It prompts us to appreciate the materiality of progress, underlining the human effort that shapes our world.