The city is composed of cylinders, cubes, bands, balls and diamonds, containing homes-offices-schools, and then there is the space around them outside. It is usually converted into streets or tunnels. Sometimes they are turned into courtyards, where you can meet other people. Breathe in the air with words and out with ideas.
The Concept
In the middle of the tiled environment of Tallinn’s Old Town, a friendly courtyard suddenly appears with many qualities: autumn leaves and bushes, that are usually considered to be scrubs and plants, which people call trash. In this urban context they acquire completely different meanings – the custom value of a plant is replaced by an emotionally larger sum, than it would usually have in a forest or in the fields.
The Night Courtyard is opened so that people would remember to go out and touch what is slipping their minds, take some pieces home with them and remember that warm friendships, love for flowers and red cheeks are often born in courtyards.
We call it the Night Courtyard because it gets dark fairly early and this time of day could be spent together in a comfortable environment.
concrete well rings in various sizes are used as yard spaces, stages and for growing plants
lanterns are lit, because they have absorbed daylight via solar batteries
the plant species are ordinary and sometimes even despised in other contexts: nettle, goosefoot, woodcock, different willows. However, in reality these are ordinary plants, just like roses and peonies. Derogatory labels are given by people, and they are the ones who can remove them.
children outside – we have a seal of balls, of chestnuts and acorns. They are just as much fun as balls made of plastic.
you can follow the grass tracks that lead to the courtyard from all directions of the Town Hall Square, where you can find fires in large concrete barrels. People gather around them, warm their hands and tell each other stories.
you can also settle in a hammock, rest, look at the sky, observe passers by, listen to stories told by the fire, take a nap, read...
there will be fashion shows. The grass track will be the catwalk
a guitarist will take the stage.. and others will listen and gaze at the fire
Materials:
concrete well rings in various sizes (ca 20 pcs)
willow bushes
goosefoot family, nettles, woodcocks
timber for the stage and seats
acorns, chestnuts, maple leaves
grass rug
metal tubs inside concrete rings for embers
hammocks
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People
2-3 actors, who subtly lead storytelling by the fire
landscape architects who are on site and tell people why this courtyard has been created and what it tells us
