The name of the installation was inspired by Martin Heidegger and his use of the term Lichtung, describing a clearing in which matter becomes perceptible, enabling one’s awareness of self and being-in-the-world. The project reveals and amplifies the atmospheric conditions of the alluvial forest—light, humidity, temperature, scent, and sound—as one moves along the riverside pathway. Seven clearings are positioned along the route, each attuned to shifting environmental conditions such as time of day, shade intensity, humidity gradients, and walking pace. These spaces encourage visitors to slow down, pause, and contemplate the changing atmosphere of the alluvial forest.

In each clearing lies a large-scale bench inviting visitors to sit or lie comfortably while experiencing the transformations of the humid atmosphere. Carefully crafted from hand-sculpted molds, the benches resemble oversized tree stumps, referencing the primordial forests of Bavaria. Although inspired by natural forms, the objects are intentionally distinguished from their surroundings through their exaggerated scale and golden hue. Appearing as uncanny artifacts within the Danubian floodplain, their thermal mass absorbs daytime warmth, creating a microclimate that encourages longer, more comfortable occupation of the space.

A field of yellow-painted tree trunks marks the project’s southern and northern entryways, extending the installation’s dialogue between landscape, infrastructure, and atmospheric perception. The painted height registers the elevation of a nearby dike constructed to protect the eastern neighborhoods of Ingolstadt from seasonal flooding.

Team: Silvia Benedito & Alexander Häusler (partners), Emily Schlickmann (Project Manager), Marcus Eichermüller, Marissa Angell, Hope Strode, Gabriella Solange
Fotos: Jann Averwerser