GROTTO

Platform CMT – Institute for Art and Architecture/Academy of Fine Arts

A new axis begins creating a number of experiences caused by different atmospheres, connecting the area of Himmelreich and its people to Schloss Neugebäude and the newly created palm house.

At the start, an inflatable span forms a canopy for displays, talks, and gatherings. The alley ends at a door into a different world, a restored past, the GROTTO. A heavy plastic curtain compresses the body before a chamber of arches, piers, niches, and irregular masonry. Rainwater is guided inside; water returns, and air-cushion paths guide you to a spiral stair leading to the music room.

After exploring the music room, furnished with inflatable seating, a strong presence of the palm house unfolds on the south side of the castle. A utopian structure rich with various plant species that were given a controlled environment to thrive. The project embodies a path of exploration connecting the past and the future.