Estonians construct a symbol of gas pipe NordStream in Venice
24.07.2008, 12:36The organisers of Venice Architecture
Biennale gave Estonia a permission to install a real scale gas pipe, inspired by
the planned NordStream pipeline project, between the pavilions of Russia and
Germany.
At the Venice Biennale which will be opened in September, Estonia is
represented by a workgroup from architecture office Salto by architects Maarja
Kask and Ralf Kõoke and sculptor Neeme Külm. The workgroup will install a symbol
of the NordStream pipeline project and connect the pavilions of Russia and
Germany. The real scale gas pipe consists of 63 authentic pipe pieces, weighs
more than 15 tons and runs through the pavilions above the main path of the
Biennale area, writes Eesti Ekspress.
Ralf Lõoke said: “It was a brave step from the Union of Estonian Architects
to proclaim us winners in March, as the object is difficult and pretentious and
it kept looking as if we wouldn’t have enough time.”
“When we introduced the project to the board of Biennale, the first reaction
was a clear no – the Italians didn’t want to see this project, uncomfortable in
both essence and construction, on the Biennale,” commented Maarja Kask, “Thanks
to the support of the general curator of this Biennale, Aaron Betsky, we were
allowed in the end to install the gas pipe if we get permission to from all the
states whose pavilion the pipe will pass in front of.”
Estonians needed to get agreement from Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom,
Czech, Slovakia, France, the Northern states, Japan, and Russia.
The process was neither easy nor fast, but by now agreement from all the
states has been acquired. Naturally, it was hardest to convince Germany and
Russia to agree to the project, as those countries are most directly touched by
the project. Yet, by now a lot of approving words for the project have come from
the architects of Italy, Germany, the UK, and Horvatia.
The gas pipe project is supported by Cultural Endowment of Estonia as well as
Estonia’s Ministry of Culture, but a quarter of the project’s budget is still
uncovered. The authors of it hope to receive aid from Estonian
entrepreneurs.
The purpose of the gas pipe project is to raise questions about our reality
and environment as well as bring sharpness to the Biennale.
The purpose of the project is to bring forth the connection between
architecture and policy, test the possibilities of critical art and
architecture, addressing various issues of contemporary spatial environment,
landscape of politics, infrastructure, and energetics. It will show that our
surroundings depend not only on the visions of architects but also on economic
purposes, political decisions, different rules, regulations, standards, and
agreements.