Rahmenbau

Rahmenbau is a steel art installation at Friedrichsplatz consisting of a tall vertical steel grid frame with a smaller brass frame mounted within it and accessed by a steel walkway. The structure measures 31 meters long and 14 meters high, creating a layered spatial experience through its two nested frames.

The work was created in 1977 for documenta 6 on a site where the Auetor gate had stood until 1907. The area was later shaped by the construction of the Prussian State Theater.

The steel frame guides visitors to look at the landscape of Karlsaue park and the Orangerie building in specific ways. Walking through it makes you notice details of the area that you might otherwise overlook.

The installation has a narrow steel walkway that allows visitors to access the inner frame and see different views of the surroundings. Wearing comfortable shoes and moving slowly helps you notice how your perspective changes as you walk through.

The structure with its two nested frames allows you to see the landscape and buildings in ways that feel completely different depending on where you stand. Each spot along the walkway frames the surroundings in a new way.