Micromuseum for the "Platte" - Betonzeitschiene from Ruairí O'Brien again in discussion

I was delighted to hear from the city planning authorities that the Plattenbau museum in Dresden is again being concidered for realization. It is such an important project for the city of Dresden. Due to the unique character of the concept it is truely destinated to "speak" for the spirit of this special city. Dresden one could say is a city which is too often preoccupied with its classical image and the rebuilding of a past glory. This aspect, although important, is just one facet of dresdens identity, the city has many more interesting faces. With this in mind the "Betonzeitschiene" (meaning Concrete Time Lines) offers the visitor and the citizen of the city a chance to reflect on diverse themes such as;
The Childrens hospital "Carola Krankenhaus" one of the first of its kind in the world situated on the same site as the later built "Plattenbau Fabrik".
The terrible destruction the city suffered at the end of World War II, 13th of Feb. 1945, and the "trummerfrauen" who cleared the streets of the rubble. The rubble was was in turn recycled, crushed and mixed with concrete to produce the first concrete slab houses. The importance of developing a simple economical modular building system to house the citizens of the destroyed city and provide them with what was at the time clean bright and friendly new inner city appartments, hot water, heating, technology, this was a time when the world wanted to forget its dark past. Finally of course its more immediate past, politically, east and west reunion, the revitalisation of inner city industrial wasteland etc. I do not see it as being romantic, there is no nostalgy in my thoughts. It is poetic and yet pragmatic, a project bringing diverse fields of thought together such as; local people empowerment, education, communication, museum philosophy, innovative building and city living concepts and the importance of sustainibilty in "Green Cities" of the future etc. It connects the local history with the what I call the "microglobal" dimension of today. It tells a story.
Fingers crossed that this "humble" landart project situated in the heart of Dresden close to the Elbe can be developed futher. The site situated next to a newly bullt kindergarten and a secondary school sits among towering precast concrete blocks and could play a great role in educational projects for the young and old of the local community. A platform for intergenerational and intercultural exchange.
Ruairí O'Brien Dresden. 09.08.2010