Bushaltestelle Insel Hombroich / Bus Stop Insel Hombroich

This brick and steel construction on the country road between Neuss and Grevenbroich stands out among the otherwise standardized bus shelters. The towering structure is divided into three parts on a rectangular footprint. Its strictly symmetrical form gives it an antiquated appearance. Roughly two-thirds of the entire footprint is occupied by a niche that opens up to the street. It is divided along the front by five steel beams, which also serve as structural elements, since they support the flat roof. To the right and left of the hall are brick gates with rectangular passageways that are a little taller than the niche roof.
Because of the symmetry, the gates can be seen as avant corps, which were common in classical architecture. Still, Per Kirkeby’s architectural style and influences are deliberately unclear here, since it’s only an allusion to architectural history and nothing more. Nonetheless, the allusion is effective, as it turns the evenly proportioned building into an accessible and practical sculpture in which form and function work together.

Source: Skulpturen in Neuss – Author: Dr. Christian Frommert