Dear friends, the authorities have approved the construction of the column! We are still stunned by the great news and super happy! Four years have passed since the first sketches for the Column of Connectedness were made on paper and cardboard (then still called “Profile Column”). TThere is a small drawback: the static test is not yet complete and must be submitted later. Of course, we only start with the construction when all parameters have been checked and approved. Now everything else depends on the structural engineer! By lasering the profiles into the steel, the stability of the octagonal column is slightly weakened and this circumstance must now be calculated precisely. It looks like this calculation is more complicated than expected and takes a lot of time.
The team is now expecting reliable figures on a daily basis, because construction work will only start afterwards. The steel constructor has had the Corten steel in stock for over 10 months, the lighting designer is waiting for a “go!” and the concrete constructor is also ready. The information board and the sponsor board, which are attached to the column, are currently being laid out by the designer. By the way: the term “connectedness” cannot (unfortunately) be translated 1:1 into other languages, because this term is much more complex than initially assumed. That’s why we decided to translate “Column of Connectedness” into many languages (at least 10) and not fix it in concrete as planned (the term “connectedness” in 3D letters), but on a large information board attached on the column.
We are also particularly pleased about two wonderful quotes from prominent Hamburgers, namely: Dr. Carsten Brosda, Hamburg Senator for Culture and Media: “Our open and free society thrives on public places where we can meet and exchange ideas. The pillar of connectedness raises awareness of togetherness and can be such a place for exchange.” And from Aydan Özoğuz, Vice President of the German Bundestag: “The togetherness develops on site when we meet and get to know each other. And this is the only way to create connection and anchoring, the feeling of home.”
We think these two Hamburg personalities understood the project “Column of Connectedness” very well! Thanks for that!
