“Zwischenhausen Between Worlds”: The Steinmühle at “Performance Day”

Climate change is a reality. The natural ecosystem of planet Earth has been severely disrupted by human activity and, in many areas, has already been destroyed, with devastating consequences for our ability to live and our quality of life. Extreme weather events and droughts, excessive heat, and severe storms will change the way we live and work, as well as how we spend our free time and enjoy the outdoors. To address these pressing problems, municipalities and private individuals are attempting to modify the microclimate in residential areas: removing impervious surfaces, greening roofs, facades, and courtyards, implementing green renovations in existing buildings, and revising zoning plans are at the top of their to-do lists.

Initiated by Ursula Eske, Waltraud Mechsner-Spangenberg, and Edgar Zieser, a community of artists formed in mid-July around the studio “IZwischen den HäusernI.” For a few hours at least, they brought to life the utopia of a radical vision of a green urban landscape: Starting on July 16, Zwischenhausen Street in Marburg was transformed during an extended performance involving numerous volunteers—including active members of the Zug Ketzerbach Volunteer Fire Department 2. —was covered with natural grass over an area of approximately 700 square meters, fostering not only food for thought but also, for the moment, a sense of well-being and joie de vivre.

Steinmühle also took part in the art festival.

“Eerily beautiful” or “beautifully eerie”—Steinmühlen art teacher Ines Vielhaben presented artworks created in a low-oxygen environment. Inside a zorb ball, using a respirator that allowed her to remain inside the hermetically sealed sphere for an extended period, she drew plant-like formations on the ball’s wall—reminiscent of past living conditions under functioning photosynthesis.

Is there hope for a climate of change if the streets are greened? Eleventh-grade students at Steinmühle explored their visions for the future. The delicate pencil drawings by Chiara Massa-Enders, Adama Sow, Joela Schwing, and Nicolas Althaus depicted the desolation of deforested forests or environmental conditions in which people can survive only with respirators and nature only within mobile climate capsules.

The event was supported by the City of Marburg as part of the Marburg 800 city anniversary celebrations.