Photo: Kontraframe
World Premiere: 40-Meter-Long Slide
Press Contact
Johanne Troelsgaard Toft, Press Officer
jott@dac.dk
+45 6142 1927
Nothing less than a world premiere awaits guests after the reopening of Danish Architecture Center (DAC) on Monday June 8th. Check out the new attraction – a 40-meter-long (about 130 feet) slide that spirals down all four stories of the iconic BLOX building.
The brand-new 15-meter-high (around 50 feet) DAC Slide, which was realized with help of a donation from the New Carlsberg Foundation, is a permanent art installation. The aim is to challenge guests’ senses as they glide down the 40-meter-long slide. The initiative is part of Danish Architecture Center’s efforts to appeal to a broader spectrum of guests and reach out to those who do not necessarily know very much about architecture – but who are interested in Copenhagen’s development, Danish design and cultural experiences. This art installation was designed specifically for the location by renowned German-Belgian artist Carsten Höller, who has created similar works in the form of slides in leading museums around the world, including the Tate Modern in London. Höller’s impressive piece is the first of its kind in Scandinavia. “It’s an interactive art installation, an attraction, a piece of architecture and a ‘work’ that calls your attention to your own feelings and those of other people,” says Höller.
Is it okay for art and architecture to be fun? If you ask Höller, the answer is yes. However, the piece is also an expression of something the artist has always wondered about: “Why don’t we use slides in architecture as a supplement to stairs, elevators and escalators?” asks Carsten Höller, adding: “They are fast, safe and energy-savvy – and they produce a sensation in the user that has been described as “a kind of voluptuous panic upon an otherwise lucid mind, somewhere between delight and madness” .”DAC Slide is sure to put a smile on most faces with its surprising, humorous
and playful design. The art installation’s new home is BLOX, which is also home to Danish Architecture Center. The building’s architecture, created by OMA, is known for its industrial look made up of quadratic “building blocks”, primarily in glass and steel. Höller’s organic, spiral slide adds a new dimension to the architectural experience at BLOX. For adventurous speed-lovers, DAC Slide also offers a fun alternative means of descending. Höller is known for creating experimental art on a grand scale. The spectacular attraction that has now moved in is something of a colossus, weighing in at 4 tons. It took 21 days to install the giant piece, which is made up of 13 slide sections, 94 Plexiglas pieces and 159 screws. The project came about thanks to a donation by New Carlsberg Foundation. “Carsten Höller’s creations merge art and the observer – playfully and unpretentiously. But, in addition to the spontaneous experience, his works give us new perspectives on the world and our routines. Höller and Danish Architecture Center are therefore a perfect match, and it’s already hard to imagine BLOX without DAC Slide,” says Christine Buhl Andersen, chair of the New Carlsberg Foundation.
The art installation is placed in the Exhibition Forum – alongside the stairs, which, of course, can still be used if you don’t feel up to taking the fast way
down on DAC Slide. The installation of the DAC Slide is supported by Realdania – a philanthropic association.
Facts About Danish Architecture Center
DAC is a meeting place for anyone with an interest in architecture, design and
urban culture. It is a place for experiencing exhibitions, tours and events, for
shopping design products, and for enjoying spectacular views of Copenhagen
from the café’s large rooftop terraces.
Opening hours
Daily: 10 am–6 pm
Thursdays: 10 am–9 pm
Tickets
Price: DKK 95.
Children (age 0–17): Free.
Youths (18–25): DKK 50.
Students: DKK 70.
DAC Club Card: DKK 250.
DAC Club Card +1: DKK 350.
Danish Architecture Center
Bryghuspladsen 10
DK-1473 Copenhagen K