Reinhardt Honold
:
Roofing For the Gars am Kamp Castle Ruins
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Reinhard Honold's design for the roof of a shelter for visitors to summertime musical events envisaged a construction with four sail-like lengths of fabric stacked over one another that could be drawn out or in as required. The design was not realised.
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The medieval castle ruins sit majestically over the market town, making it the community's landmark even from a distance. Highly successful open-air events have been held during the summer in the historic ambience of the castle courtyard over the past ten years. The ruins feature as a backdrop for opera productions. This historic ambience is unchanged apart from the insertion of stands for 1300 visitors.
This meant that the brief called for sensitivity in designing mobile roofing for 2000 square metres over the courtyard while also providing a suitable addition to the historic appearance of the castle ruins seen from a distance. Captivating about Honold's proposal is the unconventional textile covering that stretches across the castle courtyard in the shape of four lying sails. Like the rigging technology employed in modern ocean yacht-building and adapted for use here, the sails can be driven out and in at the press of a button. The construction for the sails was also adapted to the unorthodox application. The sails, like a second sky in dark colours, are staggered in height to lend a quality of lightness to the 2000 square metre roof area. The enormous tractive forces are directed into the foundations via slightly angled masts. From a distance they look like dancing flagpoles that adorn the castle with colourful sail-shaped fabric for festivals. A convincing design concept, one that needs the right client.
(Marie-Therese Harnoncourt)
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