The Joyful Apocalypse
A new story for the courtyard of the Stadshallen
With The Joyful Apocalypse, the Brussels architecture firm Traumnovelle is redefining the 13th-century courtyard of the City Halls.
With The Joyful Apocalypse, the Brussels architecture firm Traumnovelle is redefining the 13th-century courtyard of the Stadshallen that – despite the central location – has only been used sporadically in recent decades. Their three-storey, industrial structure activates the entire square and elevates it into a temporary stage on which every viewer becomes a participant and vice versa. The materials create an impression of perpetual change.
The installation is made from industrial materials such as scaffolding and aluminium panels, as well as silver curtains. This 9-metre-high structure follows the contours of the courtyard and reflects the historic surroundings.
The Joyful Apocalypse elevates the square into a temporary stage and turns the casual passer- by into a dynamic extra. Visitors are invited to meander through the three-level structure and observe the action from above and below. Open-air performances, presentations and concerts – some planned, others spontaneous – will find a place both on and around the installation. Who is the user? Who is the viewer, and who is the actor? A work about looking and being looked at. The Joyful Apocalypse reflects on the past but, above all, is an incentive to make better use of this area in the future, for Bruges and all who live and move through
the city.
