Since november 2007 the Hungarian culture institute Collegium Hungaricum Berlin (CHB) has its home at Dorotheenstraße 12, behind the Humboldt University, with a view on the boulevard “Unter den Linden”. A location in the middle of the historic centre of Berlin, right next to the “Museum Island”. This modern building in a neo-Bauhaus style, designed by Peter P. plays with its façade with “laminarity” and contrast. It includes a 40 m² large panorama window with a rear projection. The ground floor room behind the 15 m² large front window communicates with the public space as well.

TECHNICAL INFORMATON

Digital facade size: 7,10m x 5,70m; is subdivided in three sections with a thin window frame
Digital facade resolution: Native XGA 1024 x 768, scalable
Type of video inputs: beamer on 3 window facades
Technical Possibilities/ Equipment: 15.000 ANSI-Lumen Projector, Audio,
Internet Access,
The ground floor front window offers the possibility to perform live in the “restaurant” space behind and to show the live recordings just in time on the rear projection surface via the internal computer network.

USAGE IN 2008

During several evenings Scenes from the Moholy-Nagy Galerie of the CHB become visible on the window screen. During Events the screen is used for simulcast to connect to the urban public space. For summertime the „Mojito-Screening“, an open-air cinema series is planned.

MODEL AND MOTIVATION

The idea of our “street-screening” is not a gimmick, yet a necessity. It derives from the character of our building, which is a result of the mission to bring culture out of its niche to the public. Large windows absorb the city and at the same time get the program of our institute across to the people of Berlin. This openness and exchange with the surroundings are our dialogue with Berlin, the communication and the absorption of culture our aim. Our house is projection surface and projector at the same time. Our urban screening on the one hand a metaphor for our intention and on the other hand its direct technical implementation.“ (János Can Togay, Director of the CHB)