Houseball

Houseball is a steel sculpture at Bethlehemkirchplatz depicting bundled household items twisted together. The roughly 8-meter-tall work shows everyday objects compressed like a giant wrapped package made of steel and plastic.

The sculpture was created in 1996 by artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. The site has roots as a settlement area where immigrants found refuge starting in the 1730s.

The sculpture speaks to displacement by showing the belongings people carry when leaving home, reflecting how objects hold memories and identity. It reminds visitors of the weight that possessions carry in human lives.

The sculpture sits at the intersection of Mauerstrasse and Leipziger Strasse and is freely accessible year-round. You can view it from all sides at any time without worrying about entrance fees or opening hours.

Colored paving stones surrounding the work trace the outlines of Bethlehemskirche, a church destroyed during World War II. This subtle marking helps visitors understand what once stood in this exact location.

Website: http://oldenburgvanbruggen.com/largescaleprojects/houseball.htm

GPS coordinates: 52.50899,13.38893

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:47