The power of this project is based on an intelligent answer to describe something which is not. The monastery, to which the project is dedicated, didn't survive to the present day, so Topotek 1 had to figure out how to translate it's invisible characteristics to the language of landscape. A modest and beautifully measured height difference suggests a volume had been there. Furthermore, the consequent contrast between scenic panorama and minimalistic shaping add to the aesthetic tension. As if this contrast would reflect the one between Arcadian representation of nature and modesty of the life in a monastery. Perhaps. It definitely activates the imagination of the visitor, boosting the experience of the site hence making it more memorable and interesting.
The power of this project is based on an intelligent answer to describe something which is not. The monastery, to which the project is dedicated, didn't survive to the present day, so Topotek 1 had to figure out how to translate it's invisible characteristics to the language of landscape. A modest and beautifully measured height difference suggests a volume had been there. Furthermore, the consequent contrast between scenic panorama and minimalistic shaping add to the aesthetic tension. As if this contrast would reflect the one between Arcadian representation of nature and modesty of the life in a monastery. Perhaps. It definitely activates the imagination of the visitor, boosting the experience of the site hence making it more memorable and interesting.