Great Pyramid Monument

Infobox Skyscraper
building_name= Great Pyramid Monument (Model)

The Great Pyramid Monument is conceived of by a group of German artists and entrepreneurs to become the world's largest monument, potentially serving every human being as a grave or memorial site.It was originally proposed by writer Ingo Niermann (see below) to be built in eastern Germany, serving as a democratic tomb for people from all ethnic, ethical and religious backgrounds, but also as a tourist attraction and hence as a spark for a region's economic aspiration.

Citing from the group's mission statement, the monument is explained as being "affordable" as well as " [serving] all nationalities and religions. Individuals who are either unwilling or unable to have their ashes buried there can also opt to have a memorial stone placed instead. Stones can be custom designed with any number of colors, images, or relief decorations. The Great Pyramid will continue to grow with every stone placed, eventually forming the largest structure in the history of man."

Choosing (and re-visiting) the ancient builing technique and shape of a pyramid is integral to the project, as it allows for continuous growth (see Fig.1) of the monument site.

Background

The Great Pyramid Monument is based on the idea of German writer and journalist Ingo Niermann, which he first proposed in 2006 in a collection of essays on possible measures to restructure German society and to solve some of the pertinent problems of 21st century Germany ("Umbauland", ~ translates to "refurbishcountry" or "changecountry") [Niermann, I. (2006)." [Umbauland. Zehn deutsche Visionen] ". Frankfurt./M:Suhrkamp.] .Together with economist Jens Thiel, engineer Heiko Holzberger and a few others, he has founded a group called "Friends of the Great Pyramid" [Friends of the great pyramid [http://www.thegreatpyramid.org] ] . They have managed to raise initial funding of roundabout 100.000 € from a German federal foundation "Kulturstiftung des Bundes" in their [http://www.kulturstiftung-des-bundes.de/main.jsp?categoryID=202877&articleCategoryID=202933&articleCategoryID2=null&languageID=1&articleID=2889 program for the future of labour] . This enables the group to further pursue the project of the Great pyramid in terms of public relations, to develop a solid business plan, and to scout for feasible building sites, especially in Eastern Germany. [The Telegraph, Sep 2 2007 [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/09/02/wdessau102.xml] ] The ambitious endeavour is said to be flanked by a forthcoming feature-length documentary film by German director Frauke Finsterwalder.

Reactions to the Concept of the 'Great Pyramid Monument'

Regional (Dessau, Eastern Germany)

In spring 2007 a thorough analysis of the infrastructure in Eastern Germany narrowed down the most feasible site for the great pyramid to a region outside Dessau, 100 km south of Berlin. The two villages of Streetz and Natho, however, showed limited enthusiasm towards the project. Nevertheless, an interesting dialogue had begun, and September 2007 saw a symbolic founding stone being laid in Streetz, Dessau-Rosslau, Germany. A festival with international and local artists alike [ [http://riesenmaschine.de/index.html?nr=20070902231937 Riesenmaschine - Ein Acker für die gesamte Menschheit ] ] accompanied this event and received considerable national and international media coverage.

International

Since the website launch in early spring 2007, the idea of the great pyramid monument has fueled the interest of many people from a variety of countries. Roughly 400 of them currently express their support for the idea of such an alternative forthcoming necropolis by holding a non-binding reservation for a resting stone in the pyramid via the group's website. [ [http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2921872.ece On the drawing board: the great pyramid of...Germany - Europe, News - Independent.co.uk ] ]

The relaunch issue of the italian design magazine "Abitare" in Octobre 2007 also featured Niermann's concept in his own words [Niermann,I. "Una piramide per sempre". [A retro-futuristic essay on the great pyramid monument from the perspective of 2046] . In: [http://abitare.corriere.it/Edicola/2007/Ottobre.shtml Abitare] (english / italian)] . Scottish singer and cultural critic Nick Currie aka Momus likes the idea, while remaining weary of an implied or a perceived fascist aesthetic. [Momus, "The Great Pyramid of death" In: http://imomus.livejournal.com/2007/09/04/]

Architectural competition

Currently (November 2007), a closed-call competition to come up with a sound architectural concept in designing both the pyramid building itself as well as its surroundings is in progress. Participating architects include
Ai Weiwei, Beijing, Arquitectonica, Miami and New York, Atelier Bow-Wow, Tokyo, Nikolaus Hirsch, Wolfgang Lorch and Markus Miessen, Frankfurt/M. and London, as well as MADA s.p.a.m., Shanghai and Los Angeles.

The pyramid monument group have also gathered an internationally renowned jury board, reflecting the group's aspirations. The jury comprises Omar Akbar, Architect and Executive Director of the Bauhaus Dessau Foundation, Stefano Boeri, Architect and Editor of the magazine [http://abitare.corriere.it/ Abitare] , Milan, Rem Koolhaas (President of the Jury), Architect, Rotterdam, for the group themselves Ingo Niermann, writer and journalist, as well as Miuccia Prada, designer and entrepreneur from Milan.

Trivia

* Swiss writer Christian Kracht made reference to the Great Pyramid in his fortnightly column in German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, developing a scenario in the not-so-near-future when the pyramid building will be taken over by nature, already somewhat in decay, with macaques playing on the stones, and so forth.

* L.A.- and Berlin-based composer David Woodard wrote and played a musical piece for six-piece brass band (presumably one of his notorious prequiems) for the pyramid at the laying of the cornerstone, aptly entitled "A Cornerstone Cringle".

* Urban (or rural, that is) myths have it that the great pyramid might be [http://walloftime.blogspot.com/2008/02/reflections-upon-great-pyramid.html actually already there] [ [http://walloftime.blogspot.com/2008/02/reflections-upon-great-pyramid.html The Wall of Time: Reflections upon the Great Pyramid ] ] , having rested undetected for thousands of years, deep in the saxonian-anhaltinian ground. Such a myth, alongside others (one of which claims that Niermann might be pursuing a totalitarian vision with the pyramid — which in his words will be anything but) most likely reflects the archetypical fears and hopes the idea of a universal grave inevitably provokes.

* The festival of the great pyramid in September 2007 also ignited the largest anti-pyramid demonstration witnessed so far. The main claim of the roughly 40–50 local protesters boiled down to a memorable "We do not want 5 million dead bodies in Streetz and Natho", while others chanted "Down with neo-totalitarian architecture in Germany!".

References