Denkmalneu
2015-today
Bamberg (DE)
Square design for the urban development project Schaeffler-Areal in Bamberg (DE). Design and development of an old industrial wasteland into a modern residential landscape: The former "Mechanische Seilwarenfabrik" is to become a futuristic rope artwork. Design 2015. realization open. Commissioned by Denkmalneu GmbH (DE).
With the sensual, organic base material hemp and the ropes made from it - the hemp ropes - we take up the "struggle with the right angle". We are thus deliberately developing an additional, complementary design language to the right-angle-optimized grid from the industrial age.
The organic design motif starts at the power plant/Schaefflerplatz, where the work of art is particularly allowed to show itself as a large "space grabber". But it can also continue over the entire outdoor area ... in variations ... also through the Lofthof ... across the various squares to the entrances and exits, where an unmistakable external effect is achieved.
But it is not about the single, straight stretched rope, but about the connection/interweaving to surfaces and spaces - from the one-dimensional rope to the multi-dimensional space. The ropes interweave/brace/knot themselves into "rope communities", into differently dense "ropemaking"; they form points, lines, perspectives; they form spatial condensations, objects, rope sculptures; they form a unique - original - spatial shape.
- nestles into the strict architecture as it were smoothly
- connects different elements and functions on the site
- develops walkable cavities, sediment-like "caves" on the square
- forms hammock-like sculptures for sitting and reclining
- also radiates onto the informational and narrative level of the area
- and: goes up the walls - marks the houses with "rope writing
This new "ropery" draws its strength from the connection of opposites: Old with new. Theory with practice. Analog with digital.
#1 We develop the rope further, into our time: We combine the old material with new technologies, so that the rope structure begins to glow, to glow at dusk. A light space is created.
#2 This "roping" will also sound: Special loudspeakers are woven into the structure at certain nodes, which the ropemaking then resonates - makes it sound. A KlangRaum is created.
#3 We make the rope "light", we dematerialize it: From the physical ropemaking at the real site we make a psychic ropemaking in virtual space; a web platform that accesses social media structures and thus connects the residents of the site. A media space is being created.
But what ultimately emerges here is a large new organism: the Schaeffler-Areal in the 21st century. A kind of extended "sensory structure" for the residents of the area. The sensors perceive many things: information from the social media space, but also the air temperature, the water level, the time of day, soccer scores, the current birth rate ;) All these parameters can influence the state of the artwork.
In the truest sense of the word, "a networked space" is created. A cloud that is real and virtually walkable.
A cloud as a ropery.
- Barricade
- Towing car
- Wrapping
- Hanging
- Pull something up
- Tie up
- Tie up
- Lashing
- Hanging
- Leading calves on a rope
- Climbing
- Tying a cowl
- Swinging with a vine
- Whipping
- Jumping rope
- Rope dancing
- Rope pulling
- Tensioning
- Carrying
- Connecting
- Knotting
- Lassoing wild horses
- Strangle
- Pulling
- Tying
A study of the curved line, of curved space. A sensory space, from a long ago, distant future. A UFO as sacred space.
What can this work of art do?
The artwork merges with the square - it literally grows out of the organic underground, the gentle hilly landscape of the square.
The work of art is alive - it does not stop with its completion on the square, but only then starts its process of development and use for the residents and visitors of the area. Art as a process of liveliness.
The work of art lets you play - it offers you space for an extroverted stage performance as well as for an introverted meditation session. And: it also lets you simply traverse.
The artwork polarizes - it spans a wide contrast between its archaic original material hemp and its radically futuristic design language in the interior design.
The artwork can be walked on - it integrates standing, leaning, sitting and lying possibilities.
The artwork envelops you - it surrounds you holistically with the same form, structure and materiality - floor, walls and ceiling are one.
The artwork enables you to travel in time - it addresses your sense of space on a deep dimension: here the past may meet the future in the present.
The artwork shortens your way - it connects the sides of the area by an inviting square crossing.
The work of art opens - it literally lures you in, into the experience of the protected interior.
The artwork is handmade - it is handcrafted at Schaefflerplatz, not industrially manufactured. Every Denkmalneu employee weaves here one day with ... spins his rope here. This is how rope teams are formed.
Sense of sight
At first glance: Art as provocation.
The work of art sees itself as an extension of the architectural design language here at the Schaeffler site. It invites an aesthetic balance. And to play. It offers a counterbalance to the prevailing, industrially influenced rectangularity and thus creates pairs of opposites: Hard > soft, right-angled > curved, familiar > daring.
At second glance: Art in function.
#1 From a distance, the work of art is perceived as a formally structuring element, as a gentle oscillation of space, as a wide sculpture, as a design intervention in public space.
#2 Up close, the walkability - even the usability - of the artwork catches the eye. Structurally, one recognizes here, through the discernible course of the rope, the dynamic study of the curved line, the curved space.
#3 From very close up, the materiality "rope" finally comes to the fore. The dynamic design of the overall space is now reflected in the soft organic language of forms of the rope-machine. Perceptual resonance emerges.
#4 The light - in the form of RGB backlighting - lends the rope space an unexpected and unusual depth dimension from dusk until evening. The light in different colors and moods transforms the daytime heaviness of the material space now into an evening lightness.
Sense of hearing
The work of art surprises with its own world of sound, which can be heard and felt mainly inside, but which can also be perceived from the outside at certain predefined times. We are talking here about a special spherical/atmospheric spatial element that helps to shape this rope structure.
Acoustically, the entire rope structure - including its substructure - is set into vibration and resonance by sound transducers, similar to an analog sound bowl. When sitting and lying on the huge structure, the structure-borne sound can also be felt directly - this massages the body via micro-vibrations, which has an extremely relaxing effect. Closeness is created.
Sense of touch
The artwork opens up special haptic qualities of experience to the users/occupants: on the one hand, the metric rope structure simply "feels" good every time it is touched, rough and soft at the same time, haptically interesting in many ways.
On the other hand, when sitting and lying in the rope structure, the already mentioned structure-borne sound is felt, which leads to a pleasant body reaction.
Inner senses
Finally, the organic-dynamic formation of the rope space also activates the so-called inner senses, especially the sense of position, the sense of movement and the sense of balance. The formal abolition of the separation between walls, floor and ceiling makes the mere act of walking through it an experience - it sensitizes the human perception of space. Here in this "special space" many daily automated patterns of perception that are valid for rectangular spaces simply become ineffective.
The potential opens up for an expansion of perception through newly learned patterns of experience.
