3 October 2009

AstroTurf Gemütlichkeit #005

By

Eurotrash ∕ Faux Nature ∕ Hardscape


Westside expessionism

You think twice when you dig a gem like this out of the archives. You think “maybe I should save this for later, save it for harder, less inspired times”. But then again, why not let it breath the sweet, sweet air of niche publishing right now ”¦

So where are we? We’re westside, on Lietzenburger Straße. Postwar architectural vibes here. Which means big nooks with supporting columns, and really heavily engineered looking glazing Made in Germany. But it’s all a bit tatty and sad. The West isn’t what it used to be, back when there was an East.

With its vacant retail space beyond, our irregular pentagram of AstroTurf no longer serves to welcome the optimistic consumer. It is now a place of congregation for autumn leaves and canine excretions. But let us not disregard the extraordinary care which has, once again, been invested in the cropping. One notices the 45cm overhang reaching out beyond the building’s footprint, and sees how it matches up with the concrete plug surrounding the metal grate on the right. And one must consider too, that this overhang makes it possible to include the supporting column within the Turf’s territory. A close look at the base of the column reveals a rakish slit: the casual gesture of a mature artist.

Astroturf Gemütlichekeit Collection