GrenzWertig - Temporary Intervention

GrenzWertig - Temporary Intervention

A temporary intervention by master’s students at Hürth-Hermülheim station

Every day, tram line 18 runs from Cologne to Bonn and back. In this “transit landscape,” many contrasts can be found in a very small area: intensive agriculture, transport corridors, urbanized villages, and historical gems. In the midst of this area, Hürth-Hermülheim station has long stood vacant—a symbol of the region’s unused potential.
Architecture students at Alanus University took this as an opportunity and transformed the station into an art space starting on February 6. Film was used as the building material for the art installation, temporarily altering the building and making it possible to experience it in a new way. At the same time, the interior of the building offered insights into architectural designs by the students, who had spent a semester exploring places, buildings, and questions along tram line 18.
The highlight of the temporary art campaign was a public event on Saturday, February 11. The public was invited from 4 p.m. onward to explore the installation on a discovery tour and in conversation with students and experts. From February 12 to 17, the installation was gradually dismantled again.

Background
Project series on communication in architecture and urban planning
The experiment at Hürth station is part of the “GrenzWertig” project series by the Museum of Architecture and Engineering NRW (M:AI), which is being carried out over four years in cooperation with four universities in the state (Alanus University, RWTH Aachen, TH Köln, FH Dortmund). The idea behind it: architecture students should also find a public audience for their project ideas. After all, the profession of architect today requires not only compelling designs, but increasingly strong communication skills as well.

Project team
Prof. Dr. Florian Kluge (lead), Prof. Willem-Jan Beeren, Prof. Brigitte Scholz, Miriam Hamel

Location of the intervention
Hürth-Hermülheim station
Hans-Böckler-Straße 24
50354 Hürth

Organizer
Museum of Architecture and Engineering NRW
www.mai.nrw.de/grenzwertig

Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences
Department of Architecture
www.alanus.edu/ipa

Partners
HGK, Häfen und Güterverkehr Köln AG
KVB, Kölner Verkehrs-Betriebe AG