Knotenpunkt

The multimedia project “Knotenpunkt” by Maike Grabow about Halle Central Station is no longer available online. Only an excerpt from archive material is shown here.

Halle (Saale) main station is one of the most important railway hubs for passenger and freight transport in central Germany. Not only travellers come together in the entrance building, but also employees, shoppers and volunteers. How do people perceive this place? How do they meet? What makes the station so special?

A junction is a place where several transport routes of the same type intersect, for example a railway junction or motorway interchange. However, it is not only trains that meet at the station, but also the paths of different people in the entrance building. The railway station is a place where encounters can take place. Sometimes they are deliberately sought out and sometimes people withdraw into their books without noticing the other people. As an urban space, the railway station not only has a geographical component, but is also a social construct. It is a feature of cultural and social behaviour. Culturally prevailing norms and value hierarchies become clear. This is where the familiar meets the unfamiliar.

In her project “Knotenpunkt”, Maike Grabow wants to create familiarity, encourage people to become more aware of their surroundings and encourage communication. In her project, she shares encounters with various visitors. The multimedia project is a documentation of the entrance building of Halle (Saale) Central Station.