Landschaftsbauhütte© Ruhrtal

here: proposal for a landscape re-creation of the Kaisberg

There is hardly any other region in the valley of the Ruhr or in North-Rhine-Westphalia like the area around the Kaisberg which within the immediate vicinity offers a picture of the whole historical evolution of our country and especially of the developments resulting from the encounters of nature and (industrial) culture during the last two centuries. Standing on the Kaisberg and looking at the surrounding landscape like at a panorama – which suggests itself due to the topographic formation of the area – one can recognize all possible historical as well as present-day forms of using a landscape which are typical of our country:

•  all forms of forestry and agriculture as well as of the mining of raw materials (coal, sandstone)

• all possible forms of the use of water (generation of energy, waterways, reservoir of drinking water, leisure-time activities, sports) including the respective structures

• all kinds of traffic systems and structures (footpaths, country roads, highways, Federal Railroad, shipping lines) including the respective, sometimes outstanding structures (railroad viaduct)

• all historical and present-day forms of settlement (castles, castles surrounded by water, solitary farms, villages, urban settlements, towns) and special structures such as observation towers

• industrial plants and production facilities of all sorts

• branches of trading organizations, service industries of all kinds

• various forms of the generation of energy (hydroelectric power plants, thermal power stations, pumped storage works) with sometimes outstanding structures as well as pylons supporting the electric lines

• businesses for the utilization or recycling of waste (sewage plant of the city of Hagen, settling basins for rivers, recycling yards), dumps (part of the area itself)

• all possible forms of the use of a landscape for leisure-time and sports.

Yet the particular quality of the area lies in the fact that the immediate vicinity of the Kaisberg – the considered "area for the staging of events" – has remained almost untouched by the mentioned developments and distinguishes itself by a certain beauty which results from its topography (its "island position" as a mountain circulated by the river Ruhr and by the traffic systems), from its varied relief and from the interplay of open landscape and forests. Hence the Kaisberg almost appears to be an oasis in relation to the surrounding damaged landscape. Yet as examinations performed years ago have proven, large parts are contaminated with sewage sludge.

The extent of the intended steps towards a redevelopment of the area as well as its present-day and future meaning within the urban and landscape structure of the Ruhrtal (Ruhr-valley) – one of the oldest industrial areas in the world – should be taken as an occasion as well a chance for a fundamental reconsideration of our handed down relationship to nature and landscape. They offer a unique chance to establish and document a new approach in dealing with these resources by means of a concrete example and within a comprehensible period of time. The Landschaftsbauhütte© Ruhrtal is the instrument and the form in which the changes of our relationship to landscape and nature are made visible. It also serves as a vehicle for the publication of the corresponding insights and steps.

The following proposal is based on three elements:

• the tension-loaded relationship between the area of the Kaisberg and its environs

• the fact that one cannot directly experience the contamination of the area

• the intention of the city of Hagen to tackle a redevelopment of the Kaisberg within the project "Das Ruhrtal".

We suggest:

1. to make the given situation, the existing plans and the corresponding steps towards an improvement the subject of a scientific-artistic reflection which should bring out and give visible form to both the specific and general aspects in order to show the commitment of the city of Hagen as well as of the other institutions contributing to the redevelopment of the area and to demonstrate a possible procedure to international experts as well as to the inhabitants of the surrounding area.

2. to regard the given situation as a landscape museum, i.e. to describe and determine all details and aspects from both artistic and scientific perspectives and to analyze them as the result of a specific way of dealing with nature and landscape. Against the background of such a stock-taking the intended measures could be reviewed and valuable clues as to their execution perhaps be gained. Moreover such a stock-taking could lead to aspects and criteria for the artistic sublimation and formulation of various intended measures.

3. to initiate an artistic planning process in parallel to the technological and economical planning processes and to interconnect them so that they can mutually influence one another. Thus on the one hand, the technological planning could be inspired by art, and on the other, artistic projects could be realized in dimensions which exceed by far the usual scale.

The goal:

The particular qualities of the area of the Kaisberg and the surrounding landscape mentioned above make it appear useful to regard and run the Kaisberg after its redevelopment - and independent of the intended uses - as a landscape museum, i.e. as a place which focuses on and displays the specific qualities of the Ruhrtal, its topography, its flora and fauna and its anthropogenic use as well as the attempt to compensate for them.

Procedure

- Collect literally all data, plans, descriptions, and documentary materials on the Kaisberg so far produced

Make an inventory of the Kaisberg according to all points and rules of natural and human science's as well as arts down to the micro-structures of the region

- Commission advisors (scientists, artists, technicians, researcher) to report on the Kaisberg from their point of view and supply ideas for further measures or reports

- Discuss with the authors of the plans and reports their different views on the region and develop a new image of the Kaisberg by integrating all views, and reports mentioned above

- Ask for concepts and proposals which are suited to profile the new image within the site itself

- Make an exhibition of the new image of the Kaisberg and the proposals to implement them at the Karl Ernst Osthaus-Museum

- Make an exhibition at the site itself, trying out the proposals

- Realize the proposal at the site

Dr. Michael Fehr

Karl Ernst Osthaus-Museum Hagen