With their work, raumlabor has created a space for contemplation, a tranquil haven in a countryside where nature constantly battles with urban sprawl and traffic noise. In this spot beside the ecologically converted Emscher the river is now barely visible since nature has managed to reclaim its refuge. By the end of 2022, the Emscher river system will finally have been cleansed of wastewater. However, not everywhere is it possible to restore enough space to the riverbed for it to naturally evolve again. Here and further up-river in the section running through the Deusen district of Dortmund, one can observe how the altered landscape has interacted with urban growth in ever-changing ways.
The work was executed by Andrea Hofmann and Markus Bader from raumlabor, in collaboration with Claire Mothais, Federica Teti, Louise Nguyen and Maria Garcia Perez.