Liebe deine Stadt / Love Your City

Spanning multiple years, the project Love Your City has to do with how a city is identified. Cologne’s image is particularly dominated by its cathedral. This project was initially inspired by the demolition of the Josef-Haubrich-Forum on Neumarkt in fall 2002, as well as the imminent demolition of the Opernensemble and Schauspiel Köln, an icon of Wilhelm Riphahn’s postwar architecture. In response to these events, Merlin Bauer developed this idea, which brought prominent buildings of the 1950–60s and their significance back into the public consciousness.
It started with the installation of a sign along the Rheinpavillon that reads Liebe deine Stadt, or Love Your City. Some time later, the sign was relocated high above the Nord-Süd-Fahrt in the immediate vicinity of the Opernensemble. In addition, Merlin Bauer honored outstanding buildings of postwar architecture with an oversized prize ribbon that was presented with an official ceremony. Furthermore, speakers from various disciplines also contributed to raising public awareness of the buildings and their importance to the city’s identity and sense of community among the citizens.
Reference: www.liebedeinestadt.de