Invisible City
03 | 2011 – 06 | 2011
I initiated the research project ›Invisible City‹ together with Jessica Stihl. The project deals with urban utopia and the district Ehrenfeld in Cologne. It was funded by the Design Quartier Ehrenfeld (DQE).
During the project we investigated the social and political potential of utopia and dystopia. We considered both to serve three roles, namely as comments about the present, as door opener and provocateurs of change.
The project started with a theoretical approach. In several essays we discussed controversies about e.g. the unthinkable, possible worlds, hopes, daydreams or nightmares. Additionally, we realized a field research consisting of qualitative interviews. We collected and analyzed visions of citizens and changemakers in Ehrenfeld.
For ›Invisible City‹, we prepared several public presentations and talks about our research, we wrote and designed a small publication, we offered a two weeks workshop for students of the Köln International School of Design, we exhibited our work in an audio exhibition and we realized an urban intervention named ›Sound Walk‹.
›Sound Walk‹ contains acoustic impressions of ten possible worlds. Each world comments and refers to a specific spot in Ehrenfeld. A map allows participants of the ›Sound Walk‹ to access the utopian audio drama. Visual and acoustic or factual and fictional realities overlay and turn hazy.
For further information see the documentation of the project.
We presented research results in a booklet and during public talks.
Our exhibition with listening stations was part of the popdesignfestival.
Participants doing the ›Sound Walk‹.