Spielräume | free play

Spielräume | free play traces the disappearance of small urban places for play effected by the free play of market forces let loose on cities.

Playing opens up a window in the time and space of our actions: a sphere in which things aren ́t about material interests. Taking off from cultural historian Johan Huizinga ́s conception of play, the playground becomes a litmus test for the institution of communities as for urban development in our present age: Who represents the case for spaces without profit-motifs – such as playgrounds?

Spielräume | free play takes a look at play and its urban places, as well as at the disappearance of small spaces for play; the latter is one effect of the free play of market forces let loose on cities. Urban playgrounds are indicators to a culture of planning in public space. This is especially true today, now that modernist utopias as well as welfare state promises are dismissed for being unfit for reality – among them the agenda of giving play its place and urban infrastructure, equally open to all.

Exhibition, curated by Gabu Heindl, with projects by: Aldo van Eyck, Alfred Trachsel, BIG | Topotek1 | Superflex, Drehli Robnik, Gabriele Kiefer, Gabu Heindl, ibini, Margerl, Nils Norman, Kurt Razelli, Recetas Urbanas, Sandra Sternberg | Christoph Schomberg, Willi Dorner | Lisa Rastl

download catalogue of ‘free play’