Sputnik :
Roundabout in Bad Vöslau

Until recently one might have thought that it was the Raiffeisen towers or the war memorials that represented architecture and art in Lower Austria. Traffic planning measures have, though, recently meant that the roundabout has been promoted to become one of the most popular briefs. So too the community of Bad Vöslau now has one of its own, and they were concerned to adorn this traffic-encircled island in a manner that was both ideally typical and identity generating. A 'Pouring Nymph' perhaps? The invited entry competition, which followed an open competition without a satisfactory result, was won by Martin Huber and Norbert Steiner, better known as 'sputnic'. The proposal by these renowned architects, who work with such world champions as Coop Himmelb(l)au, was for a pneumatic 'Dewdrop' made of transparent foil that should light up at night. A UFO direct from Mars, landed on the forest of signposts on the edge of Vöslau. Despite the enthusiasm of the jury and the impassioned support of the architect Franz Sam the local council could not be persuaded to go ahead. Somewhat irritated, the jury is shedding heavy tears for the poetic dewdrop.
(Brigitte Huck)