Eine Gondel für Beelitz 2008
A Cabelcar for Beelitz

Village Resort Brandenburg ?, Stadt Beelitz
170 x 80 x 120 cm
Dry panel construction, steel cable and anchoring hardware; rendered and painted in accordance with guidelines for rehabilitating building facades in historical town centers.

The cable car, is often a symbol of tourism In areas of scenic beauty. In this context, the gondola seems like an inappropriate addition to the urban landscape but its presence represents the conflict that smaller cities face in competing economically for the attention of visitors. How can smaller towns and cities share their cultural attractions and maintain historical authenticity while catering to the experiential demands of modern tourists? Since the reunification, the historic centre of Beelitz in Brandenburg, Germany has been
declared a conservation area. Through town
planning subsidies, the area has been considerably rehabilitated.
The cabel car ironically, portrays a farsighted, ambitious, yet misguided approach to this quandary.
The gondola serves as a metaphor for the high urban aspirations that the town has for this small open space. The site is, in fact, the last undeveloped plot in town. In accordance with the rules of rehabilitation process, the street line must be reconstructed. This means closing the open space, which seems absurd in light of the absence of open space in the inner town circle.