Ralf Hinrichs, Vertigo Theater — 2020


with Paul Wöllner, Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, Prof. Dr. Stephan Engelsmann, AM Oliver Kärtkemeyer       Each year, the Burning Man festival attracts tens of thousands of participants to the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. Renowned for its monumental sculptures, elaborate art cars, and the more than 30-metre-tall Burning Man at the centre of the temporary city, the festival has become an internationally recognized platform for experimental art and architecture.

Conceived as a counterpoint to the festival's continuous growth and increasing commercialization, the pavilion deliberately adopts a restrained architectural expression. Rather than competing through scale, its spatial qualities and atmosphere become its primary means of attraction. The interior accommodates an immersive video installation, while the structure remains intentionally open, ensuring visual permeability and unrestricted access. In this way, the exhibition can be experienced both from within and from the surrounding public space.
A slender observation tower serves as a landmark within the temporary city while offering a place of retreat above the dense tent landscape. From this elevated vantage point, visitors are provided with views towards the Burning Mansculpture and across the vast desert, creating a moment of contemplation within the otherwise highly dynamic festival environment.

The lightweight structure follows the festival's principle of "leaving no trace", prioritizing circularity and material reuse. The laminated timber beams are designed for disassembly and can be repurposed after the festival's ten-day duration. Welded steel profiles form the primary joints, while tensioned steel cables stabilize the structure with minimal material consumption. A flax-fibre membrane provides shade during the day and simultaneously functions as a projection surface for the video installation at night. Through its emphasis on reversibility, material efficiency, and adaptability, the pavilion demonstrates how temporary architecture can combine environmental responsibility with spatial and cultural experience.

© 2026
Ralf Hinrichs

        2025/26
(Ge)schichten
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Nichts Halbes Nichts Ganzes
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        2021/22
Adapter
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        2021
Blitzschlag

        2020
Vertigo Theater

        2019/20
if - Interfakultäre

        2019
Form Follows Fluffiness
I´m a designer and researcher in the field of architecture and urbanism. Designing with empathy for every being and a big passion for details. Trying to intervene as little as possible and as much as needed.

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