Last week my friends Bob and Christian gave a new silhouette to cologne, by means of illuminating the television tower with a spectacular lighten moved dress.

Up to the 1980s the construction of a television tower was a matter of course for many German cities to underline their urban character. Cologne is no exception: The local Colonius was designed by Erwin Heinle and was finished in 1981. With a height of 266 meters it is not only the highest television tower in Nordrhine-Westfalia, but also a striking landmark that is visible from far. As such, it is an inherent part of Cologne’s skyline by day and night. Unfortunately its significance as a tourist destination has been lost since the closure of the observation platform several years ago.
The architects Christian Dieckmann and Robert Wetzels want to re-raise the awareness for the significance of the distinctive building for the cityscape of Cologne:

An exhibition in the elevated ground level documents the development of the television tower and gives extensive background information. Moreover the panorama view that would be visible from the observation platform (when open to the public) is replicated by means of printable film on the basement windows, and selected architecture and urban development projects are explicated in the “Schaufenster zur Stadt”. At “Liegen unterm Turm” at the bottom of the Colonius visitors can savour coffee and cake and enjoy the television tower from a distinct angle. But the most spectacular event is the artful illumination of the tower. By illuminating its column the Colonius is transformed into a giant sculpture that is thus promoted to a highlight of Cologne’s nightly skyline during plan08.

Dieckmann’s and Wetzels’s and vision is to establish a competition in the future: the Colonius Award. International artist and designers shall be asked yearly to hand in their proposal for an illumination of the Colonius. The illumination of the television tower during plan08 is made possible by Stadt Köln, Deutsche Funkturm GmbH and Deutsche Telekom AG.

For livestyle junkies imm-cologne is a must – from local designers to big international brands it shows the whole range of spic-and-span-new interiour design. Have fun and and hurry up – last day of the design week is 20. January 2008.

More infos by the organisator:

Top-class designer furniture, classic living worlds, trendy accessories: imm cologne provides a comprehensive selection of furniture and furnishings. From “imm pure” to “imm basic,” the product range is clearly structured in segments. This international furnishing show is the global marketplace and meeting place for the international furniture sector — the 2008 fair features more than 1,300 exhibitors from about 60 countries. As the sector’s business event, trend barometer, international communication forum and centre for creative ideas, imm cologne and its full programme of events generate strong momentum for the interior design of tomorrow.

The swiss architect Peter Zumthor built an art museum around the wreckage of the parish church St.Kolumba. commissioned by Cardinal Meisner (lately in the news with his comment of “Entartete Kunst” on Gerhard Richter’s design for the window Koelner Dom) , the won competition in 1997 was finally realized 10 years later.The museum is an archaic castle for religious art of 2000 years sycamore culture as well for modern installations.

Kolumba consists of several periods in architecture history: starting with the late Gothic church St.Kolumba, the chapel “Madonna in den Trümmern” ( “Madonna in ruins” ) was buillt in 1950. Interestingly enough, the architect of this little chapel, Gottfried Böhm, made now the very controversial discussed design for the Zentralmoschee Köln Cologne Mosque Project. Continuing 1973-1976 with the archaeological excavation, finalized by Zumthor’s new design.

Entering the building, I am moved by the fact, that architecture is able to create such an unique atmosphere of spirit.”A museum, which lives from light and which shows, how the darkness and brightness are brother and sister” (Benedikt Loderer). One extreme is the “black room”, absolute darkness, with the glimmer of the relics.

Brightness enters the upper part of the museum with precise, big openings to the surrounding (view to the banal after-war buildings as well on the dome).

Zumthor created a calm place to stay with an extreme exclusiveness by using pure detail and materiality. He is known as a extreme control freak, there is no little error in the whole building (trust me, I searched for them). It is a master piece, worth its 43,5 M Euros, given that it manages to be an international religious landmark for Cologne beside the cathedral.