Kranensee

KRANENSEE was an audio-visual and kinetic performance at the largest urban development venture ever in Vienna and one of the largest in Europe. At the time of the performance there were 40 cranes located on the construction site.

Aspern is a location with an eventful history. The concept of the show referred to those historic events and took the audience on a 17 minutes long journey through time: from the time before the first settlement to the modern urban future there will be. Fifteen cranes were equipped with a total of 120 LED bars for the show, connected together with almost 2.000 meters of data cables. The lights were programmed using 3D software because of the vast dimensions of the area and the amount of lights. Another factor which had to be considered was the audiences' point of view. The large distance between the cranes and the audience demanded for extra planning of the depth and height of the whole installation. Fifteen more cranes were moved synchronously by crane operators to form a crane ballet interacting with the LED bars.

The music of KRANENSEE was recorded especially for this performance by professional musicians and was composed and written by Florian C. Reithner and the Viking School of Metal. The multi-movement work integrated elements of classic, romantic soundscapes as well as modern electronic sounds. Noises recorded at the construction site were incorporated as part of the music concept as well. As a result the work ranged between 2nd generation minimal music and contemporary club sounds.

INTRO

I.
The open field
The first settlement and the battle at Aspern

II.
The mechanization, the mechanical awakening, attempts to fly
The establishment of the airfield
The wars, the Russian occupation and the motor racing

III.
Aspern’s loss of importance
Aspern is abandoned

IV.
A new vision is arising
A draft is forming
The development of a new city
Architecture (order and concretion)
Construction site (rhythm formed out of chaos)

V.
The forecast
Glowing future
The vision of a city

GRAND FINALE