At the end of February 2022 a proposal was submitted for an art-for-architecture competition for a nursery school in Alzey. The task is to place an artistic design in front of but not on the façade. The name of the nursery school, Hanni Kipp – Haus des Kindes (children’s house) – is to be part of the art object.
For Hanni Kipp, larger-than-life flowers are to be planted in front of the façade of the nursery school that bears her name. The flowers are reduced to simple, four-sided rods, thus expressing solidity and durability. Only the paint applied in floral shapes and intensive colours makes them recognisable as flowers. A separate rod makes up each flower. When many of these come together, they form a depiction of the community in the group. The image of the group presents harmony through strong shared characteristics, but also liveliness through individual variations.
The rods also perform a further communicative function. They carry a message. Each of them bears a single letter. Together they form the name HANNI KIPP – HAUS DES KINDES. Each letter stands for itself with its own weight and its own meaning. But none can be taken away. They all belong, and all belong together.
The rods are made so that the children can take possession of them. The children can touch them effortlessly and without danger. They can name them by speaking of the Kippis. The Kippis lend a colourful focus to the dark grey façade.