The Great Pyramid

We often hear calls for the creation of more jobs in Germany's service industry. Elsewhere in the world, there are attempts to push the service sector by means of spectacular construction projects, such as the Guggenheim in Bilbao, Eurodisney in Paris, and the ,auto cities' in Dubai. The organizers of the project ,The Great Pyramid' wished to investigate whether Germany is also ready for such a major project. It publicly presented a national, pan-religious, infra-structural project featuring what could potentially become the largest building in the world - a continuously growing pyramid.

Like the Egyptian pyramids, this pyramid would also serve as a burial place, not for only one person, but for all people. The Great Pyramid would create an entire service industry necessary for its operation - churches, musicians, chorus singers, pallbearers, hotel personnel, priests, nurses - the employment potential would be enormous. With a town planning concept competition, scientific studies, public discussions, and press and marketing events, the project investigated and publicly discuss the urban planning and cultural requirements and possibilities of building such a pyramid. For ten months, the project collaborated with universities and urban planning bureaus, tryed to gain support from investors, church representatives, and state and municipal administrations, and presented the concept to potential residents and interested citizens. The project concluded with a symbolic ground-breaking ceremony and a large pyramid gala with a presentation of the architectural master plans and the expected economic effects. The director Frauke Finsterwalde will produce a documentary to capture the entire project on film - from the founding of the association to the ground-breaking.

Artistic directors: Ingo Niermann, Jens Thiel, Frauke Finsterwalde (Film)
Participants: Heiko Holzberger