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What´s the European thing about Europe
| A transition of a different kind. From Thessaloniki in the Southeast through Novi Sad, Linz, Essen to Liverpool in the Northwest.DIE FABRIKANTEN Promenade 15 | |
TRIVIAL EUROPE
Five Greatest Cities of the World
Documentary, A 2007, 60 min.
What´s the European thing about Europe and how trivial is everyday life? There are lots of stereotypes about each European country. What do these images mean to networked and cultural addicted coevals?
In nighttime walks DIE FABRIKANTEN, an artist collective from Linz, are looking for answers: Equipped with headlamps, residents of Thessaloniki, Novi Sad, Linz, Essen and Liverpool lead us to their favourite places.
The result is a transition of a different kind.
In THESSALONIKI, computer salesman and freelance online journalist Kostas Karderinis leads us to his favourite pastry-shop, ex-highjumper Chrisa Theodoridou to her father´s minigolf course and the architect Eugene Balassis into an occupied university.
In NOVI SAD Zelimir Zilnik, Filip Markovinovic, Vladimir Radisic und Zeljka Jovic tell stories about the day of the Nato-barrage, comets and wine festivals. Two Romanies give an account of their sex- und alcohol conflicts during Ramadam.
The journey through the city of LINZ at night is a mixture of red-hot steel and slightly broken 'Schwedenbomben', rusty transport ships and illuminated architecture. Along with us come Florian Sedmak and Michael Rusam.
The artists Karl-Heinz Mauermann und Johannes Gramm lead us through ESSEN in the German Ruhrpott. We get to know their favourite pitch, the very first Aldi store worldwide and the ugly Porscheplatz, which no longer can be called a square.
In the crack of dawn in LIVERPOOL Tamasine Seibold and her musical saw give a concert. Peter Hagerty adores the sea and the calm. The loud and flashy Liverpool is presented by Roger Hill alias Mandy Romero - Liverpools most famous Drag Queen – one of our nighttime escorts.
CREDITS
Director/Producer: DIE FABRIKANTEN
Gerald Harringer and Wolfgang Preisinger
Editor: Julia Pontiller
Musik: Thomas Reinhart
Camera: Kristaps Epners, Gerald Harringer, Dziugas Katinas, Wolfgang Preisinger,
Michael Rusam, Viktoria Schloegl, Miho Sugita, Gert Hatsukov.
Concept: DIE FABRIKANTEN
REVIEWS
'Your film reminded me very much of something that Serge Daney once said when describing his favorite films, the 'one-of-a-kind' films, as he called them. (...) In true travel, what matters are the magical accidents, the magic of the night, the discoveries, the inexplicable wonders and the wasted time. And your film is one-of-a-kind; it's a true travel, a wasted time. And when I say wasted time, I mean that as the most beautiful compliment that I can really give you.' Jurij Meden, film critic und curator, Slovenia
After the premiere at VIDEOMEDEJA in Novi Sad, Serbia, in November 2007, TRIVIAL EUROPE was on screen at the DIAGONALE 2008, Graz, Austria (competition) and at CROSSING EUROPE 2008, Linz, Austria.
Within the 'Stadtkino' series of Linz09, TRIVIAL EUROPE will be on screen again on March 20th, 2009, 5:30 p.m. at Moviemento3, Linz.
THE IDEA BEHIND
After the book BOTSCHAFT LINZ, the documentary TRIVIAL EUROPE is the second part of a project series about places in Europe. Places with a tale to tell.
Since 1989, the artists and designers DIE FABRIKANTEN put their transboundary projects into effect, be it adventures in communication in everyday life, at the internet or at cultural festivals.
Always tightrope walking between art and reality, communication and culture, they find new crossconnections manifested in corporate designs, rooms, situations, films, communication concepts and communication projects. These contentions guide amongst others to Turkey, Greece, Israel/Palestine, Czech Republic, India, Erbia, United Kingdom, Germany and the USA.
via e-artnow
Architects: PLOT = BIG + JDS
Location: Copenhagen, Denmark
Client: Sjakket Youth Club, Realdania
Partner in Charge: Bjarke Ingels
Collaborator: Julien De Smedt
Project Leader: Sophus Søbye
Project Architect: Sophus Søbye
Contributors: Bo Benzon, Christian Dam, David Zahle, Julie Schmidt-Nielsen, Kathrin Gimmel, Louise Steffensen, Mia Frederiksen, Nanna Gyldholm Møller, Nina Ter-Borch, Ole Elkjær-Larsen, Ole Nannberg, Olmo Ahlmann, Søren Lambertsen
Constructed Area: 2,000 sqm
Project year: 2007
Budget: US $3,880,000
Photographs: Vegar Moen
How do you create something that even street kids would find cool?
By converting a run down factory into a base camp, the immigrant youth are given an alternative place to go off of the streets. Sjakket serves as a community centre to mainly immigrant youth, and as such it serves a significant role in the area, because it keeps the troublemakers off the street and activates and educates them. Sjakket is situated in one of the outer lying neighborhoods of Copenhagen, in an industrialized neighborhood which is mainly populated by lower income households and immigrant families. It is densely populated with older building blocks, but also embossed by the fact that it is surrounded by more industrialized businesses.
The exterior gables and structural walls were subject to strict rules of preservation. The generous barrel vaulted spaces of the former factory are given new functions - one filled, the other emptied. A half pipe sun deck is wedged between the two vaults. This raised terrace is in many ways a secret oasis for the kids. Accessed from the raised terrace is the ‘Ghetto Noise’ sound studio which bridges over the two vaults, like one of so many containers which are so ubiquitous in the surrounding harbor landscape of Copenhagen. The studio is the only architectural addition, as well as Sjakket’s icon announcing the centre’s presence upon the industrial skyline of Northwest Copenhagen.
One of the vaulted spaces is gutted to make room for a vast sports hall, whereas the other accommodates more intimate program. The vault to the south opens up entirely to the courtyard beyond through three large industrial sized garage doors extending the interior into the urban realm. The centre’s multi-functional character is best illustrated through the varied use of the vaulted spaces, one is held completely empty for sporting events, whereas the other one can be used for activities, such as concerts or communal activities. The areas between the vaults is reserved for the kitchen, bathrooms, and sports equipment storage.
The refurbishment of Sjakket’s main purpose is to create a place that serves many different functions and age groups, but most importantly could make a positive, bright statement that would serve the area. By listening to the centre’s users and leadership as well as surrounding neighbors the focus was set on integration rather than alienation which many immigrant youth feel in their new home.
The buildings are renovated in a way to incorporate as much of the existing buildings as possible and overlaying a futuristic and bright environment for the young people who use Sjakket. The former industrial buildings serve as a backdrop to the more current urban street culture as seen in the preserved graffiti and the rich use of color throughout the building. Instead of removing the graffiti, it became a source of inspiration when figuring out the color scheme. The exterior windows each have a different tone of color spanning from red to blue. Thus through color a bridge was built between the generation of graffiti and the generation that is guiding them through Sjakket’s activities.
