metahaven: 'stadtstaat' a scenario for merging cities

metahaven‘s ‘stadtstaat’ exhibition which takes place across two locations this year (künstlerhaus, stuttgart and casco, utrecht) explores the interlocked, equivocal relations between contemporary models of governance and their visual identity, by taking an imaginary city-state as a case study. this city-state is the result of the unlikely merger of two cities in different countries: stuttgart and utrecht.

‘the scenario for such a fictional state is considered amidst the setting of contemporary geopolitical conditions-the economic downturn, the increasing prominence of ‘networking’, ‘partnership’, and ‘alliance’ as replacements of sovereignty, and the growing demand for cities to globally compete for visibility.’

‘the project proposes branding and other representational models for the ‘stadtstaat’ that unfold in an actual policy experiment. the design is applied as an act of constructing a visual horizon, imagining the impossible to seek the possible. this ‘reversal’ process of forming a political, governing entity creates a speculative space of reflection. various levels of perception and understanding of the operation of a city and nation, in relation to the space-structuring effects of new information technologies, are played out. the graphic ‘surface’ becomes visible as a platform that turns communication into political interaction…’

metahaven is a studio for research and design based in amsterdam and brussels, consisting of graphic designers daniel van der velden and vinca kruk, and architectural designer gon zifroni. since 2004, metahaven has developed projects that investigate the political potentials of graphic design and its expanding practice as a tool for research.

stadtstaat. a scenario for merging cities – episode 1 from: now – 12 september, 2009 at: künstlerhaus stuttgart

stadtstaat. a scenario for merging cities – episode 2 27 september – 15 november 2009 casco office for art, design and theory, utrecht

via manystuff