dieDASdocs

With dieDASdocs: Monumental Affairs - Living with Contested Spaces, the first publication of dieDAS – Design Academy Saaleck is presented. This inaugural volume of the new series showcases the results of the dieDAS Fellowship cycle 2023 and the subsequent symposium dieDAS walk + talk, under the artistic direction of renowned American architect Germane Barnes. It questions the complexity of monuments in an international context and addresses pressing issues such as racism, nationalism, social inequality, and climate injustice. Furthermore, the publication narrates the history of dieDAS through essays, interviews, and statements that outline the vision and collaborative approach of the non-profit foundation, while introducing the numerous designers, architects, critics, activists, and supporters who have played a role in its development since its inception. dieDAS – Design Academy Saaleck was founded in 2019 in the former Saalecker workshops of the National Socialist racial ideologist and architect Paul Schultze-Naumburg. It is in the process of transforming the "uncomfortable monument" into an innovative space for future-oriented and socially relevant dialogue and sustainably creative design. The facility, acquired by the Marzona Foundation in 2018, is currently being restored according to a master plan by Danish architect Dorte Mandrup.