carsten höller installs 40-meter-long slide at the danish architecture center in copenhagen

carsten höller has installed a 40-meter-long (about 130 feet) slide at the danish architecture center (DAC) in copenhagen that spirals down all four stories of the iconic BLOX building (previous coverage here). the giant slide has been designed specifically for the location as a permanent art installation. höller has created similar works in the form of slides in several locations around the world, including palazzo strozzi in florence and the tate modern in london, yet the impressive piece is the first of its kind in scandinavia.

all images by kontraframe

carsten höller’s new piece is placed in the exhibition forum of the danish architecture center as a permanent installation that aims to challenge visitors’ senses as they glide down the 40-meter-long slide. ‘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. the brand-new 15-meter-high (around 50 feet) slide is part of DAC’s efforts to appeal to a broader spectrum of guests, and reach out to those who do not necessarily know very much about architecture.

the art installation’s new home is BLOX, a glass and steel building designed by OMA that also houses the danish architecture center. höller’s organic, spiral slide adds a new dimension to the architectural experience of the building while offering a fun alternative means of descending its floors.

‘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.’

the project came about thanks to a donation by the new carlsberg foundation , while it is supported by philanthropic association realdania. ‘carsten höller’s creations merge art and the observer – playfully and unpretentiously,’ says christine buhl andersen, chair of the new carlsberg foundation. ‘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.’

project info:

artist: carsten höller

location: danish architecture center (DAC), BLOX, copenhagen, denmark

supported by: new carlsberg foundation and realdania