Sascha Glasl

The German image and its profile are constantly changing. The demise of the war generation and the reunification changed the national consciousness. The Football World Championship 2006 gave proof to a new relaxed self- perception.

How can Germany present itself as a nation in an architectural context, and how can we create an identity which shows the common spirit? 
Because of the ephemeral character of the architecture (184 days) the whole process becomes important. The setup and the teardown of the building as well as the actual use of the architecture might contribute to the new strong common spirit as long as the participation of the German public is guaranteed. During the Expo in Shanghai 70.000.000 visitors (95% of Chinese descent) are expected.

I started a donation appeal in Germany. The Germans were asked to send a personal memory souvenir consisting of an object which fits in a post package (size „S“) and a description of this memory. These everyday life objects are conserved in a transparent luggage- bag. Together they become a personal souvenir. Using these souvenirs an enormous mountain on the Expo area is stacked. The manufacturing of the souvenirs and the structure will take place within the next 3 years up to the opening of the Expo. Because of the transparency of the luggage- bags the surface serves as an exhibition of innumerable personal German memories. During the Expo (184 days) the mountain will decrease, as each visitor takes a luggage- bag as a present. With this principle new memories show up every day. At the end of the Expo the German pavilion consists only of a green park. Though donating their souvenirs the Germans deal with their history and give their nation a true and complex identity.

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