18.10.2024

Coachella 2024 – Walk-in art

Building design

Three new art installations were commissioned for Coachella 2024, including the work "Monarchs: A House in Six Parts" by Studio HANNAH, which towered high above the heads of festival visitors with its wing-like wooden structure. Photo: Lance Gerber

Every year, one of the biggest music festivals takes place in Indio, California: the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. In addition to music, visitors are also offered a program away from the stage – including art installations. Find out which new works were commissioned for Coachella 2024 and what the walk-in artworks looked like here.

An abstract architectural landscape in bright colors. An ensemble of towering constructions made of wood and concrete, reminiscent of wings or palm trees. A tower made of large, partly rounded blocks whose rough, gray surface is reminiscent of rocks from a distance. Visitors to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2024 were able to see, walk through and sit on or in the shade of all three art installations.

The three works are part of the art program of the Coachella Festival, which was curated by the Public Art Company from Los Angeles under the direction of Raffi Lehrer. The installations were specially commissioned for this year’s festival. Works of art from previous years were also part of the Coachella art program again, such as the rainbow-colored pavilion “Spectra” by Studio Newsubstance or the interactive balloon chains by artist Robert Bose.

The Coachella Festival has been around since 1999 and takes place annually on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club in Indio, near the city of Palm Springs in California. Over 100 artists played their concerts on two consecutive weekends in mid-April 2024. Headliners at this year’s festival were Lana Del Rey, Doja Cat and Tyler, The Creator. Coachella is one of the biggest and probably most expensive festivals in the world. With a huge fringe, various activities and more, it also aims to offer visitors a program away from the stage. This also includes art installations.

The plywood constructions stretch skywards like wings, fanning out in curved shapes. The lightness of the constructions contrasts with the solid bases: differently shaped, 3D-printed concrete elements. The installation is entitled “Monarchs: A House in Six Parts”. It was designed by Studio HANNAH, led by Leslie Lok and Sasa Zivkovic, both Assistant Professors in the Department of Architecture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York.

For the installation, the studio arranged six large elements with wooden superstructures, so-called pavilions, in a circle on the festival grounds; smaller versions of the concrete bases were grouped around them. The installation offered festival visitors a meeting point and seating in the shade of the towering wooden structures. These could be reminiscent of butterfly wings or palm leaves, according to a description by the curators. The colors of the constructions, with which Studio HANNAH refers to the atmosphere and light of the surrounding desert, change depending on the perspective.

For the 3D-printed concrete bases, the studio worked together with the company PERI 3D Construction. The self-supporting wooden structures were manufactured using robots at Cornell University. The elements of the installation were then assembled on site at the festival site.

A second installation created for the Coachella Festival 2024 was created by London-based studio Nebbia. With “Babylon”, architects Brando Posocco and Madhav Kidao designed a tower-like construction: monolithic-looking blocks, rounded at one end, are stacked upwards in an apparently precisely balanced manner. The installation deals with contrasts, the curators write about the installation. For Babylon, Nebbia combines old, historical architectural forms on the one hand with futuristic design elements on the other.

The 64 modules consist of steel frames and plywood. Nebbia sprayed these with plant-based cellulose insulation. This created a haptic surface reminiscent of rough rocks. Like the “Monarchs”, this installation was intended to provide shade for festival visitors during the day. The installation was also accessible.

In contrast to the exterior, the insides of the modules were kept smooth. The cathedral-like interior was projected at night in collaboration with Lake Hills, Alex Casillas, Raymond Aldva and Paul Andrew.

With “Dancing in the Sky”, Coachella visitors found themselves in the middle of a colorful, fantastic architectural world. The temporary installation was created by London-based artist Morag Myerscough, known for her installations in bright colors and geometric patterns. In her work for Coachella 2024, shapes were stacked, arches and towers stood next to and on top of each other. The platform on which the elements were set up was also designed with a colorful pattern.

Numerous circles and pennants, rectangles and diamonds spun around the fantastically shaped constructions. The small elements danced to follow the title of the artwork. With its colorfulness, kinetic elements and fantastic shapes, “Dancing in the Sky” has something playful about it. Visitors to Coachella 2024 were also able to walk through and explore this immersive art installation.

In the following video by Eric Minh Swenson, Morag Myerscough’s kinetic art installation at Coachella 2024 can be seen in motion:

Artworks from previous editions of the Coachella Festival have also found permanent, sometimes new, locations after the end of the respective festival. For example, the “Spectra” pavilion is permanently located on the grounds of the Empire Polo Club. Several sculptures and installations have also been set up in Indio and the surrounding villages. It is possible that the art installations from Coachella 2024 will also find a new, permanent location in a similar way.

Another festival takes place every year in the USA: Burning Man. Read more about the temporary festival city in the desert here.

22.10.2024

Society

DGGL Culture Prize 2023 awarded

Building design

As one of the four award winners, the circle of friends has contributed to the preservation of the Flora Botanical Garden in Cologne. Botanischer Garten Köln e.V. Photo: Ladislaus Hoffner, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons — As one of the four award winners, the circle of friends has contributed to the preservation of the Flora Botanical Garden in Cologne. Botanischer Garten Köln e.V. Photo: Ladislaus Hoffner, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

After a four-year break, the DGGL Culture Prize was awarded again in 2023. We present the four winners and their projects.

After a four-year break, the DGGL Culture Prize was awarded again in 2023. We present the four winners and their projects.

How can citizens get involved in the interests of gardens and parks, what form of organization or participation promises success? Answers to these questions were provided – almost incidentally – at the German Society for Garden Art and Landscape Culture (DGGL) cultural awards ceremony, which was held again after a four-year break due to the coronavirus. The four prizewinners were both individual actors and alliances, whose work therefore took place in very different formats. The event was held in the rooms of the Cologne Flora Festhaus, which was originally built in 1864 and whose history, marked by ups and downs, is itself an example of the value of civic engagement. The fact that the award winners included the Friends of the Cologne Botanical Gardens, founded in 1982, was therefore well justified. Its commitment has not only contributed to the preservation and development of the historic “Flora/Botanischer Garten” park, but its donations and member campaigns have also made the current construction of two (energy-efficient) show greenhouses possible. From next spring, plant lovers will once again be able to encounter expanded tropical and desert landscapes in them.

Commitment to public green spaces can take the form of traditional associations, initiatives with a broader social base and lone campaigners: A prominent and original example of the latter is Klaus Bäumler, a former judge, former head of a Munich district committee and long-time honorary head of the “Public Green Working Group” of the “Münchner Forum – Diskussionsforum für Entwicklungsfragen e.V.”. Thanks to meticulous archive research, clear language and a fearless approach, he has repeatedly succeeded in protecting historic green spaces, from Munich’s Finance Garden to the English Garden (whose persistent pursuit of being cut up by a tramway has been an ongoing threat for years) from the demands of traffic and other economic and political interests.

A Thuringian action group called “Stoppt den Ausverkauf von Weimars Grün” (Stop the sell-out of Weimar’s green spaces) was also honored for its successful advocacy for the preservation of the historic green corridor of the park on the Ilm (Tiefurt, Ilm, Belvedere). Given the composition of this initiative – Grüne Liga, BUND, NABU, Fridays for Future, Naturschutzbeirat, Die Linke – the DGGL’s decision can almost be read as a political statement in these politically turbulent times. In any case, their successful commitment was aimed at a historic green corridor that had long since been decided by the city council, but was called into question again in recent years as a result of assertive economic interests. Specifically, it was about the demolition of former industrial halls and the renaturation of the corresponding intermediate section, which was secured thanks to media work and, not least, a petition to the state parliament in Erfurt. According to the partners of the alliance present, a cheer for the Thuringian constitution, which provides for this instrument.

Michael Rohde, garden director of the Prussian Palaces and Gardens Foundation Berlin-Brandenburg and honorary professor at the TU Berlin (garden monument conservation), was also awarded the Golden Lime Leaf for his many years of commitment to the care and preservation of historic gardens. The DGGL stated: “Among the experts entrusted with the preservation of valuable historic gardens and parks, Rohde was the first to recognize the challenge of climate change and climate adaptation. Michael Rohde’s visionary role in recognizing the topic in the research discourse and in maintenance practice deserves special mention”. We congratulate all award winners.

The DGGL Culture Prize was awarded for the last time in 2019. Read all about it here.

19.12.2024

Industry news

Art in shape – The stone in January 2025

Building design

Jo Kley's "Bull" is one of more than 100 sculptures that the freelance artist has created in Germany and 20 other countries around the world. Kley has been carving sculptures out of natural stone for around 25 years, using them to bring irrepressible energy into solid forms. Jo Kley regularly takes part in symposia and has created numerous works for public spaces. The artist lives and works in Kiel. © Bernd Perlbach

In the first issue of the new year, we invite you to rediscover the ancient excavation sites of Pompeii through the eyes of renowned architectural photographer HG Esch. He shows the city in unprecedented clarity. We will also be presenting impressive sculptures made of natural stone that artist Jo Kley has created in recent years and taking a closer look at the mandatory e-invoicing that will apply to companies from 2025.

Trade fair in Munich

Right at the beginning of the year, another trade fair is on the agenda: BAU 2025. It could be worth coming to Munich, because the program reads promisingly. The building of the future is right at the top of the trade fair organizers’ agenda. Companies from the natural stone, ceramics and tile sectors await you in Hall A4.

Pompeii from above

From page 6 onwards, we invite you to take a completely new look at the ancient excavation sites of Pompeii with us. Renowned architectural photographer HG Esch and his team have embarked on a literally “historic” journey, during which spectacular drone photos were taken. They show the structures of the ancient city with unprecedented clarity.

Award-winning sculptures

After breathtaking photographic art, from page 14 we show impressive sculptures made of natural stone that artist Jo Kley has created in recent years. He remains true to his original profession as a stonemason and stone sculptor. Kley has already given advice and support to the winners of the “DMH” and “Gute Form” competitions twice during a workshop. In this way, he is preparing the ground for the artists of tomorrow.

Maoi in Berlin

Our author Dr. Inge Pett found out for you how a moai from Easter Island ended up in Berlin’s Gardens of the World. The replica of such a huge sculpture made of tufa stone had literally been growing grass for 25 years. Find out what the Moai are all about from page 30 onwards.

Electronic invoices

From page 48, we turn our attention to a topic that may be on the minds of many of you: e-invoices. They will be mandatory from 2025. Our author Marian Behaneck explains what this means for companies and what details you should pay attention to when creating, receiving, processing and archiving electronic invoices.

We hope you enjoy reading STEIN!

Your STEIN editorial team Redaktion@stein-magazin.de

The magazine is available here!

In our last issue 12/24, we looked at bathroom construction. Read more about it here.