Photograph above: Thomas Mayer, http://thomasmayerarchive.de/

Tiger & Turtle – Magic Mountain

(Height x width x depth = 20,6m x 48,2m x 34,4m | 22,52yd x 52,7yd x 37,6yd;
length of the track = 220m | 240,5yd) Walkable outdoor sculpture, zinc-plated steel, grates

© Heike Mutter & Ulrich Genth 2009 - 2011
 
Since 13th of November the large-scale sculpture "Tiger and Turtle - Magic Mountain" in Duisburg Wanheim (D) is accessible for the public. It overtops the plateau with the artificially heaped-up mountain* by 21m | 23yd so the visitor can rise by more than 45m | 49yd above the level of the landscape and enjoy an impressive view over the Rhine.

Led-lights are integrated in the handrails and highlight the flight of stairs so the sculpture is accessible at night, too.

>>> The curved flight of stairs inscribes like a signature on the landscape and recruits the nimbus of the classical roller coaster. Having a closer look, the public is disappointed in a disarming way. The visitor climbs on foot via differently steep steps the roller-coaster-sculpture**.<<<

** excerpt from an article written by Heiko Klaas and Nicole Büsing.

* The magic mountain in the South of Duisburg happened to come into existence within only one year out of the blue and owes its presence to the shifting of large amounts of toxic zinc-slag that have accrued during the productions of local zinc works.
-------> text written by Jens Asthoff
-------> download press release / images (pdf)
-------> images of different photographers
-------> documentation of the construction process

 

Concept/design: Heike Mutter & Ulrich Genth

Parametric 3-d planning and concept of the stairway system: Arnold Walz, designtoproduction, Stuttgart

Planning of structural framework: Prof. Michael Staffa, Andreas Hertel, ifb frohloff staffa kühl ecker, Berlin

Architects: Sonja Becker + Rüdiger Karzel, bk2a architecture, Cologne

City of Duisburg, awarding authority;
Constructor of the landmark: Dipl.-Ing Andreas Spronk,
Project coordination: Carola Kemme

Culture Capital Office Duisburg RUHR:2010, management: Dr. Sönke Dinkla,
a project of the cultural capital of Europe RUHR.2010.

The project is supported by Land Nordrhein-Westfalen and the European Union within the frame of the ecological programme Emscher-Lippe-Raum (ÖPEL) and with national funds of Culture Capital Europe RUHR.2010 and also financed with support of private sponsors, like Hüttenwerke Krupp Mannesmann (HKM) affiliated with Vallourec & Mannesmann Tubes and Sparkasse Duisburg as well as Stadtwerke Duisburg AG.