The artist and architect collective modulorbeat (Jan Kampshoff and Marc Günnewig) designed the spatial installation Blue Hour in the Mero Hall, the former food court and leisure area of the Spreepark, for its interim occupancy. The Blue Hour as a phenomenon of twilight represents a symbol of transition in the changing park.
The artistic reinterpretation draws on the existing Mero Hall as a point of departure and resource for the development of a new hybrid site. Its original supporting structure, with its namesake MERO node was upgraded and supplemented with blue corrosion protection. The structural design of the roof and its shadows, were adopted for the conversion of the space and can be recognised in various elements of the installation. Benches entice visitors to linger, observe and listen. Sectional canopies not only protect against rain and heat but also change the view of the sky in an interplay of light and shadow. Curtain elements, that separate the hall into several sections, address the boundary between in- and outdoors. What results is a multifunctional space that accommodates various programs and new ways of interaction.
"This is actually not architecture anymore, this is a park that takes place in an architectural fragment. And behaves the same way - there is no center, it's open, and you can sit on the bench with a few people and feel comfortable; but it can also become quite dense. And in the sense of artistic research, it's really an experimentation, a sounding out of what this space can be permanent. With the luxury that first of all there's no functional constraint that you have to accommodate, but that you can completely engage with the place."
Jan Kampshoff
