ON_AIR – temporary entrance 2005 by INSTANT

Opening: June 04, 2005, 5- 9 pm

As part of its collaboration with P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center / MoMA, in the summer of 2004, KW Institute for Contemporary Art initiated an architectural competition for a temporary architectonic intervention in the KW's entrance. KW's aim was both to provide an emerging architectural office a platform and to improve KW's visibility from the street. An international jury has selected the proposal On_Air by the Berlin/Zurich-based office INSTANT (Dirk Hebel and Jörg Stollmann).

On_Air is a transparent, self-supporting balcony that will extend KW's facade into the public realm. The inflatable structure resembles a balloon or a floating cushion and allows additional space without interfering with the existing building, which dates back to the 18th century and is protected as a certified monument.

So-called tensairity elements, an innovation in pneumatic construction developed for ultra-lightweight structures, will stiffen the overall structure, and allow visitors to float in space and look over the street.

With kind support from the Stiftung Deutsche Klassenlotterie, Berlin