Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Germany To Build Man-Made Mountain in Berlin?
Here's an odd story if I've ever heard one. It comes our way courtesy of Environmental Graffiti, who has the scoop on the possibility of a man-made mountain being erected in Berlin.
According to the story, architect Jacob Tigges has proposed that the city built a mountain 3300 feet in height on the spot where Tempelhof Airport once stood. The airport, one of Europe's oldest, closed down last year, and has remained unused since, and the city is considering the best ways to use the land moving forward.
Enter "The Berg", Tigges grand idea to make an already iconic city stand out even further. If his plans were to come to pass, the mountain would offer visitors green meadows and beautiful vistas, along with hiking trails and scenic overlooks. And in the winter, the snow capped peak would allow for skiing as well. Talk about creating green spaces for your citizens.
Of course, a project of this size would come with a hefty price tag, and require a lot of resources and man power. That's why many see it as a big joke or a political statement against local politicians who have been slow to move on just how they'd like to use the land that was once occupied by Tempelhof.
Whether or not this project ever comes to fruition is probably irrelevant at this point, but it sure makes for an interesting concept. Of course, as is usually the case in the mountaineering world, I'm sure there would be a mad scramble to claim the first ascent, become the youngest to summit, and so on. ;) At the very least this is a cool idea.