Can these protruding pillars be demolished?

[Pagheen]

Hello,

In my newly purchased apartment, two asymmetrical pillars protrude from the wall. They are not on the original blueprint and the board doesn't seem to know what purpose they serve. However, on the blueprint, there is a slightly protruding section between the pillars, behind which various pipes and conduits run.

I have been up on the roof (as the apartment is at the top of the building) and cannot see any chimneys or similar that could explain them. The building was constructed in '63. The stove in the picture is chimney-free.

How do I know if I can tear down these two protruding sections?

Thanks in advance!

 

[fahlis]

What does it look like on the floor below?

 

[Andreas12345]

Do they feel hollow when you tap on them?

Why would someone build two asymmetrical pillars in the room if they didn't serve any purpose?

 

[Snål-Jocke]

Because it turned out nice?

 

[Fotografen]

Decoration only or installation shaft? Take a look inside the apartment below...

 

[Pagheen]

I will try to pop in to the neighbor below. If something similar is missing at the neighbor's, can I bring out the big sledgehammer with a clear conscience?

The right pillar has an electrical outlet installed, which in my mind suggests that it should be removable.

 

[Andreas12345]

But do they feel hollow if you knock on them?

If I had built two pillars, I probably would have built them equally wide.

 

[Fotografen]

Suspect that they are concealing ventilation, drainage, heating pipes or something similar. Why else would they have built it like that?

 

[noupe]

Will try to peek in at the neighbor below. If something similar is missing at the neighbor's, can I, in good conscience, get out the big hammer?

The right pillar has a power outlet installed, which in my head indicates that it should be possible to remove.

The only answer to this question (given that you don't find anything at the neighbor's) is not to get out the big hammer but to open up a reasonably sized hole and check. If you can do it in a place/way where you can restore with the veneer stones, that's a bonus.

 

[fahlis]

. Why would one … build like that?

Maybe to give the illusion of masonry?
Pure decoration then ...

 

[Pagheen]

The right one feels somewhat more hollow when tapped than the other. Chipped off a piece of the stone on the left as shown in the picture.

The decorative stone will be removed regardless.
The neighbor still does not respond when knocking.

 

[noupe]

The right one feels slightly more hollow when tapped than the other. I tapped away a piece of the stone on the left one according to the picture.

The decorative stone will be removed regardless.
The neighbor still doesn't respond when knocking.

Ah, it's going to be removed regardless, yes, then it's the sledgehammer that's needed. It will be exciting to see what you find...

 

[Pagheen]

Ah it should be removed anyway, yes then the big sledgehammer is necessary. It'll be exciting to see what you find...

Please elaborate on how you conclude that the sledgehammer should come out.

 

[noupe]

Not for any other reason than that you need to remove the facing stones anyway and have already cleared a hole. It looks like plaster, so just open it up and take a look. You don't have to use a sledgehammer for the sake of it. If there are installations there, just plaster it up again and then do what you were going to do anyway when you were going to remove the stones.

 

[noupe]

Not for any other reason than that you will have to remove the cladding stones anyway and have already cleared up a hole. It looks like gypsum, so just open it up and take a look. You don't need to use a sledgehammer just for the sake of it. If there are installations, you can just gypsum it back and then do what you were planning to do when you were going to remove the stones anyway.

Okay, admittedly it didn't look like gypsum but stone, but I would have opened it up anyway.