Great Pyramid Monument
Encyclopedia
The Great Pyramid Monument is a German proposal for a mausoleum
, patterned after the Great Pyramid of Giza
in Egypt
.
. He suggested a memorial be erected in the former East Germany, to serve as a democratic tomb for people from any ethnic, ethical and religious group. If developed correctly it could also become a tourist attraction, and a beginning point for intercultural dialog.
The group's mission statement explains that the monument is envisioned as being "affordable" as well as "[serving] all nationalities and religions. Individuals who are either unwilling or unable to have their ashes buried there can also opt to have a memorial stone placed instead. Stones can be custom designed with any number of colors, images, or relief decorations. The Great Pyramid will continue to grow with every stone placed, eventually forming the largest structure in the history of man."
Choosing (and re-visiting) the ancient building technique and shape of a pyramid is integral to the project, as it allows for continuous growth (see Fig.1) of the monument site.
, which he first proposed in 2006 in a collection of essays on possible measures to restructure German society and to solve some of the pertinent problems of 21st century Germany (Umbauland, ~ translates to refurbish-country or change-country).
Together with economist Jens Thiel, engineer Heiko Holzberger and a few others, he founded the group "Friends of the Great Pyramid". They raised initial funding of some 100.000 € from a German federal foundation Kulturstiftung des Bundes in their program for the Future of Labor. This enabled the group to pursue the project of the Great pyramid in terms of public relations, to develop a solid business plan, and to scout for feasible building sites, especially in Eastern Germany. The endeavour is portrayed in a feature-length documentary film by German director Frauke Finsterwalder.
, 100 km south of Berlin. The two villages of Streetz and Natho, however, showed limited enthusiasm for the project. Nevertheless, an interesting dialogue had begun, and September 2007 saw a symbolic founding stone being laid in Streetz, Dessau-Rosslau, Germany. A festival which showcased international and local artists accompanied this event and received considerable national and international media coverage.
by holding a non-binding reservation for a resting stone in the pyramid via the group's website.
The relaunch issue of the Italian design magazine Abitare (October 2007) featured Niermann's concept in his own words. Scottish singer and cultural critic Nick Currie aka Momus
likes the idea, while remaining wary of an implied or a perceived fascist aesthetic.
Ai Weiwei
, Beijing, Arquitectonica
, Miami and New York, Atelier Bow-Wow
, Tokyo, Nikolaus Hirsch, Wolfgang Lorch and Markus Miessen, Frankfurt/M. and London, and MADA s.p.a.m., Shanghai and Los Angeles.
The pyramid monument group have also gathered an internationally renowned jury board, comprising Omar Akbar, Architect and Executive Director of the Bauhaus
Dessau Foundation, Stefano Boeri, Architect and Editor of the magazine Abitare, Milan, Rem Koolhaas
(President of the Jury), Architect, Rotterdam, for the group themselves Ingo Niermann
, writer and journalist, as well as Miuccia Prada
, designer and entrepreneur from Milan.
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
, patterned after the Great Pyramid of Giza
Great Pyramid of Giza
The Great Pyramid of Giza is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt. It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact...
in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
.
Beginnings
The concept of constructing a modern pyramid was originally proposed by German writer Ingo NiermannIngo Niermann
Ingo Niermann is a German novelist, writer, and artist.-Biography:Niermann studied philosophy in Berlin, where he is still based and to the eastern part of which he allegedly moved as early as late 1989.-Publications:...
. He suggested a memorial be erected in the former East Germany, to serve as a democratic tomb for people from any ethnic, ethical and religious group. If developed correctly it could also become a tourist attraction, and a beginning point for intercultural dialog.
Concept
The Great Pyramid is envisioned as the world's largest monument, potentially serving every human being as a grave or memorial site.The group's mission statement explains that the monument is envisioned as being "affordable" as well as "[serving] all nationalities and religions. Individuals who are either unwilling or unable to have their ashes buried there can also opt to have a memorial stone placed instead. Stones can be custom designed with any number of colors, images, or relief decorations. The Great Pyramid will continue to grow with every stone placed, eventually forming the largest structure in the history of man."
Choosing (and re-visiting) the ancient building technique and shape of a pyramid is integral to the project, as it allows for continuous growth (see Fig.1) of the monument site.
Background
The Great Pyramid Monument is based on the idea of German writer and journalist Ingo NiermannIngo Niermann
Ingo Niermann is a German novelist, writer, and artist.-Biography:Niermann studied philosophy in Berlin, where he is still based and to the eastern part of which he allegedly moved as early as late 1989.-Publications:...
, which he first proposed in 2006 in a collection of essays on possible measures to restructure German society and to solve some of the pertinent problems of 21st century Germany (Umbauland, ~ translates to refurbish-country or change-country).
Together with economist Jens Thiel, engineer Heiko Holzberger and a few others, he founded the group "Friends of the Great Pyramid". They raised initial funding of some 100.000 € from a German federal foundation Kulturstiftung des Bundes in their program for the Future of Labor. This enabled the group to pursue the project of the Great pyramid in terms of public relations, to develop a solid business plan, and to scout for feasible building sites, especially in Eastern Germany. The endeavour is portrayed in a feature-length documentary film by German director Frauke Finsterwalder.
Regional (Dessau, Eastern Germany)
In spring 2007 a thorough analysis of the infrastructure in Eastern Germany narrowed the most feasible site for the great pyramid to a region outside DessauDessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
, 100 km south of Berlin. The two villages of Streetz and Natho, however, showed limited enthusiasm for the project. Nevertheless, an interesting dialogue had begun, and September 2007 saw a symbolic founding stone being laid in Streetz, Dessau-Rosslau, Germany. A festival which showcased international and local artists accompanied this event and received considerable national and international media coverage.
International
Since the website launch in early spring 2007, the idea of the great pyramid monument has fueled interest in several countries. Almost 1500 entities currently express their support for the idea of such an alternative forthcoming necropolisNecropolis
A necropolis is a large cemetery or burial ground, usually including structural tombs. The word comes from the Greek νεκρόπολις - nekropolis, literally meaning "city of the dead"...
by holding a non-binding reservation for a resting stone in the pyramid via the group's website.
The relaunch issue of the Italian design magazine Abitare (October 2007) featured Niermann's concept in his own words. Scottish singer and cultural critic Nick Currie aka Momus
Momus (artist)
Nick Currie , more popularly known under the artist name Momus , is a songwriter, blogger and former journalist for Wired...
likes the idea, while remaining wary of an implied or a perceived fascist aesthetic.
Architectural competition
As of November 2007, a closed-call competition to develop a sound architectural concept in designing the pyramid building and its surroundings is in progress. Participating architects includeAi Weiwei
Ai Weiwei
Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist, active in sculpture, installation, architecture, curating, photography, film, and social, political and cultural criticism. Ai collaborated with Swiss architects Herzog & de Meuron as the artistic consultant on the Beijing National Stadium for the 2008...
, Beijing, Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica
Arquitectonica is an international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and urban planning corporation headquartered in Miami, Florida, United States in the Coconut Grove neighborhood, with offices in ten other cities throughout the world...
, Miami and New York, Atelier Bow-Wow
Atelier Bow-Wow
Atelier Bow-Wow is a Tokyo-based architecture firm, founded in 1992 by Yoshiharu Tsukamoto and Momoyo Kajima. The firm is well known for its domestic and cultural architecture and its research exploring the urban conditions of micro, ad hoc architecture....
, Tokyo, Nikolaus Hirsch, Wolfgang Lorch and Markus Miessen, Frankfurt/M. and London, and MADA s.p.a.m., Shanghai and Los Angeles.
The pyramid monument group have also gathered an internationally renowned jury board, comprising Omar Akbar, Architect and Executive Director of the Bauhaus
Bauhaus
', commonly known simply as Bauhaus, was a school in Germany that combined crafts and the fine arts, and was famous for the approach to design that it publicized and taught. It operated from 1919 to 1933. At that time the German term stood for "School of Building".The Bauhaus school was founded by...
Dessau Foundation, Stefano Boeri, Architect and Editor of the magazine Abitare, Milan, Rem Koolhaas
Rem Koolhaas
Remment Lucas Koolhaas is a Dutch architect, architectural theorist, urbanist and "Professor in Practice of Architecture and Urban Design" at the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, USA. Koolhaas studied at the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam, at the Architectural...
(President of the Jury), Architect, Rotterdam, for the group themselves Ingo Niermann
Ingo Niermann
Ingo Niermann is a German novelist, writer, and artist.-Biography:Niermann studied philosophy in Berlin, where he is still based and to the eastern part of which he allegedly moved as early as late 1989.-Publications:...
, writer and journalist, as well as Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Prada
Miuccia Prada is an Italian fashion designer and entrepreneur. She also has a Ph.D. in Political Science.Prada was born in Milan, the youngest granddaughter of Mario Prada, founder of the company. According to: Forbes.com's The World's Richest People 2001: "She and her husband, Patrizio Bertelli,...
, designer and entrepreneur from Milan.