The city of Munich relies on art in architecture. But so many works fail to have their effect. An Instagram post is now causing discussions. Object of contention: the “track cover”.
Munich – “Is that art or can it be done away with?” The residents of the Theresienhöhe district square, popularly known as the “rail cover”, should ask themselves this question often enough. The square serves as a connection between the surrounding new residential quarters in the districts of Sendling and Schwanthalerhöhe, which were built on the old exhibition grounds after the exhibition center moved to Riem. The design of the square was awarded in 2001 as part of an international art competition and was finally designed by a Canadian architect, a Berlin landscape architecture firm and a Cologne artist.
Munich: Instagram post on Quartiersplatz shows the residents’ clear opinion
A lot of concentrated specialist knowledge, one would think. But too many cooks spoil the broth. Because the “playable open space”, which the square should be and whose design should take up the railway line running under the square, looks more than bleak in the otherwise beautiful Munich. This is apparently also the opinion of some residents, as you can see from an Instagram post that is going viral.
The picture that was posted on the noticingmunich page shows one of the many gymnastic horses that seem to be almost randomly distributed over part of the square. A stranger then left his clear opinion on the design of the Theresienhöhe square: “Anyone who designed this square must hate the people here”.
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Harsh words that are sure to hit Berlin’s very hip landscape architects to the core. But the anonymous art critic is truly not alone in his opinion. “So true” – in German “so true” – is one of the first comments under the photo, another commentator says “Looked good on paper”, which should make it clear that one might originally have expected something nicer in view of the plans can. “Is that this ugly place in the Westend”, asks one and one commentator even addresses the city of Munich directly with a link and asks “What’s going on?”.
Munich: Quarter square really that ugly? There is a headwind
But there are also dissenting voices that can win something out of the desolate-looking wide field full of indefinable play and sports equipment. A certain Carri writes with conviction “I love the rail cover!”. In the end, there is a difference in art when it comes to art. And if you are not sure whether you should find the “track cover” beautiful or terrible, then you can simply stick with the diplomatic opinion of instabaerbelchen: “The gym horse-trampoline ratio is not optimal, but the space is super cool and has tremendously beautiful evening light. ”Seems like the quarter square has found a few supporters after all. (kah)
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