Emsakropolis / Ems Acropolis

The Ems Acropolis is a cubic structure made of cast concrete with columns around the perimeter. From a distance, it resembles the shell of a new house in the middle of a meadow. The structure is so small, that you can barely stand inside of it. Between the columns, there are six openings that provide a framed view of the surroundings on all sides.
Due to its abstract form, the object stands in sharp contrast to the landscape. Rather than fitting in with the surroundings, the Ems Acropolis incorporates architectural interpretations of antiquity. It stands on an open plane, making it less like a house and more like a temple through which the landscape becomes visible in its individuality.
In its poured concrete form, it also represents a modern ruin and in turn addresses the transition between landscape architecture’s efforts to create an artfully ordered cultural landscape and the stance that nature should reclaim the landscape. The use of concrete here creates a link to industrialization, to the cities and the shells of buildings that exist today.