The Pink Bear Pavilion at the altonale cultural festival

GUS Germany GmbH

The Pink Bear Pavilion at the altonale cultural festival: The University of Europe for Applied Sciences cooperates with artist LUAP

Ausgangslage und Ziel des Projektes/der Maßnahme

The private University of Europe for Applied Sciences is collaborating with British artist LUAP and has created a four-meter-high, walk-in sculpture in the shape of a bear's head as part of the collaboration. The installation is the first of its kind and refers to the leitmotif of a pink bear by the London artist. Visitors physically immerse themselves in LUAP's childhood memories when entering the Bärenkopf and experience art from the perspective of young people in the pavilion.

"The absolute necessity of inclusion and accessibility in cultural sites has been increasingly discussed and demanded in recent years and is now fortunately being increasingly implemented - blind and visually impaired people can gain multi-sensory access to art through a tactile floor guidance system, tactile models and inclusive audio guides. Through the joint project with LUAP, we would like to pay more attention to this topic – culture and education should be accessible to everyone and not just a privilege of individuals. Therefore, with the help of scholarships that we award on the occasion of this project, we would like to open up a path for talents who cannot afford to study."

Prof. Dr. Jiré Emine Gözen, Vice President for International Affairs and Higher Education Development at UE

Umsetzung

The Pink Bear Pavilion is LUAP's largest sculpture to date and embodies a fusion of art, design and cutting-edge technology. The installation can be seen from May 30 to June 9 on the Altonaler Balkon, as part of the altonale in Hamburg.

In collaboration with Nagami, CH2O and Exarchitects, a surface was made from 2500 kg of recycled plastic for LUAP's pavilion. The construction of the pavilion promotes environmental awareness through the use of recycled materials and state-of-the-art 3D printing technology. The inner vault of the pavilion serves as a dynamic canvas on which projects by LUAP and UE students are exhibited. This symbiotic representation reflects the ethos of the pink bear and addresses the themes of inclusion and diversity.

Ergebnisse des Projektes/der Maßnahme

LUAP's creation with the pink bear also focuses on topics that touch on different aspects of humanity – mental well-being, environmental awareness and interpersonal relationships. Originally intended as a shelter for LUAP itself, the bear has also become a symbol of comfort for others. Within the confines of the mind, visitors are encouraged to connect with each other as they immerse themselves in artworks that celebrate diversity, foster connections, and advance inclusion.

Kurzprofil der Organisation

UE offers Bachelor's, Master's and dual Bachelor's and MBA courses and has been institutionally accredited by the German Council of Science and Humanities for a maximum period of ten years and has been system-accredited by FIBAA. The university has already received the German Education Award twice.