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Architects: Christoph Hesse Architects
- Area: 19 m²
- Year: 2022
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Photographs:Laurian Ghinitoiu, Juergen Aymar, Christoph Hesse Architects
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Manufacturers: Andre Mohr Forstbetrieb, Twistetal
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Lead Architects: Christoph Hesse
Text description provided by the architects. The installation Kollektiv (Collective) is a so-called Reflecting Point, planned and built for Documenta fifteen, the world art exhibition that takes place in Kassel every five years. It is located at Karlsaue, the state park of Kassel. The pavilion is an open place to pause, reflect, and communicate about biodiversity.
Kollektive is directly related to the nearby installation Maria, as a reaction to this. It consists of so-called Hordengattern (horde gates), and wooden fences that are used to protect young trees in mixed woodlands.
If these stacked wooden fences are placed vertically and connected, the result is an 850-meter-long fence. The fence can protect an area where up to 5,000 trees can grow safely for an ecologically diverse forest.
While the plants are young, they must be protected from destruction by wild animals. That's what these fences are for. After 8 to 10 years - that's the poetic part about this project - when the treetops are high enough, the plants have survived the critical phase. At this point, the wooden fences have fulfilled their duty and are decomposing into humus.