ein deutscher pavillon : spaceandmatter

EIN DEUTSCHER PAVILLON
‘In everyday life you can find the essence of a nation’ Roger Willemsen, Journey through Germany

Idea
Can architecture pacify the burdened German memory? Can design deal with collective and private grievances from the past? This proposal voices the ambition to stage the re-united state. A public debate is triggered through a unique architectural approach addressing Germany’s problematic history. The World Exhibition still seems to be characterized by the glamorous presentation of a single state. This is unfortunately a fairly superficial image of the nation. Would it be in response be possible to create a more authentic picture of the people living in a country instead of the usual
artificial image produced by national powers? The answer is: yes, this is possible, if the right tools are used. This project focuses on Germany, the country of our birth. The German national image and the profile of its people are constantly changing. The demise of the war generation and the reunification are today changing the national consciousness. Indeed, the World Soccer Championships in 2006 revealed a new relaxed self- perception. Nevertheless the country’s past remains omnipresent in public life. The question remains: How can Germany present itself as a nation in an architectural context, and how can we present an identity which shows the new common spirit and deals with the nation’s past? Let’s here fore highlight the process. As such, the setting up and pulling down of an installation, as well as the actual use of the architecture, could reinforce the new strong common spirit, as long as the participation of the German public is guaranteed. Furthermore, we intend to ask visitors to influence the installation with their memories of the country’s past.

‘The Berlin Wall’, which was once built as a political border and developed into a historical onument, served as an inspiration for this project. The wall was in place for over twenty-five years before finally being torn down. When that happened, visitors took home with them millions of small ragments as mementoes of ‘The Berlin Wall’. This important monument is still present in people’s minds although its physical architecture does no longer exist. As such, the architectural souvenir assembles many small German stories.

Installation:
For the installation personal souvenirs comprising single German memories will be collected. As such, the souvenir functions as a way of communicating German memories. All these stories together create a multidimensional picture, influenced by coincidental discoveries on the journey through the installation.

Example:
Mainzelmännchen
In this money-box, I have saved money for my train journeys to Mainz. The route I drove, I like because it runs along the Rhine by a very picturesque landscape. Favorite place: The Lorelei.
In these moments I always experienced Germany as a postcard scene. I find that in hindsight very German. Both the savings, as well as the postcard scene. I probably came remarkably close to a German stereotype.

Phase 1
In order to obtain the souvenirs a donation appeal is started. Germans will be asked to send a personal memento – an object that reminds them on a German situation plus a description of the memento. These items of everyday life are conserved in transparent luggage bags. Together they form a personal souvenir. Because of the transparency of the luggage bags the surface serves to display innumerable personal German memories. The souvenirs and the concomitant pile will be assembled during the next months in different European cities. The first step will be in Amsterdam. From here the installation travels through Europe and gets bigger each time by adding more souvenirs. Its final destination in Europe is Berlin.

Phase 2
After Berlin, all memories will be send to Shanghai China and the installation will be build up again parallel to the World Expo 2010. During the exposition the pile will decrease, as each visitor takes away a luggage-bag as a ’gift’. The German souvenirs spread out all over China.

download
flyer Amsterdam
sticker box Amsterdam

community

team
Sascha Glasl

year
2009

Executive team Amsterdam
Barbara Glasl
Sascha Glasl
Tjeerd Haccou
Nina Schweitzer

Photos Amsterdam
Raphael Rehbach

Exposition Amsterdam
Amsterdam Biennale 2009

Spreading boxes