Paula Ellert - Düsseldorf

From Inside and Outside

Living rooms are not what they used to be! During her studies of interior design, Paula Ellert discovers her eye for detail. But instead of developing room concepts, she likes to develop products. She likes to save objects from falling into oblivion. For example: vinyl records. They make for a perfect coaster on the side table. And in the linen envelopes on old-fashioned bourgeois show-off cupboards, she sees the crafting material for a women’ s handbag. Or is it a presentation folder for both sexes? Not only this is left open by Paula Ellert. After years of here and there, the Düsseldorf-born is drawn back home to found the collective Teilmöbliert with six other designers. Each of them works on his own, but on fairs and exhibitions they appear as a collective and even agree on a common motif. Just like North Rhine-Westphalia, which variety finally drew Paula Ellert back home to Düsseldorf. In her opinion, the city has given away its status as lead design metropolis to Cologne or Essen. But someone like Ellert doesn’ t give much on rank and name. She watches the broad creative scene of the city and draws inspiration from its art, fashion and music.
Author: Petra Engelke
Foto: Erwin Wenzel

From ThyssenKrupp headquarters to Düsseldorf landmark - the Dre ischeibenhaus

Between Hofgarten, the playful buildings of the Schausp ielhaus and the Daniel-Libeskind Building in the Kö-Bogen area, it rises up to the sky with an impressive height of 94 meters: the listed monumental Dreischeibenhaus at the Gustaf- Gr ündgens-Platz in Düsseldorf, built in 1957-1960 in the wake of the economic miracle. After an exten sive reconstruction and the demolition of the “ Tausendfüßler ” , a high road that passed close by this impressive building for more than 30 years, it is again looking at its best . The interior of the building is mainly reserved for the tenants of the offices, but not every thing is closed to the public. Restaurant Phoenix, which is located within this landmark, is open to visitors and exhibits many fascinating facets. Patrick Schwarz-Schütte, who owns t he building, was not simply looking for a tenant for the restaurant on the ground flo or, which was opened in 2016 - he actually took charge of the entire implementation. On th e ground floor there is a reminder of the construction period - implemented by architects Etienne Descloux and Irina Kromayer and elegantly combined with modern elements. The warm atmospher e with dark green marble and wooden wall panels make it an absolute optical highlight. The "Twenty-Two" on the other hand, offers a completely different experience. The simple interiors leave space for the true highlight - high in the tower, it offers a fantastic view over Düsseldorf and its city boundaries at special events such as New Year's Eve. An early reservation therefore, is highly recommended.
Author: Oliver Kapp
Fotos: Roman Knie

August-Thyssen-Straße 1 40211 Düsseldorf http://www.dreischeibenhaus.de/

Art between car tunnels

Even from a distance you can’t overlook it - the rectangular building of glass and concrete on the Düsseldorf riverside promenade. With the KIT Museumcafé offering a great view of the Rhine elbow, you can sit back and enjoy the vista. But the café isn’t the only thing to enjoy - there’s even more to discover. Descending the large interior staircase brings you to the underground exhibition room, a 140metre long tunnel parallel to the Rhine, from which the building got its name. Four to six exhibitions are shown here each year, with the focus on the presentation of emerging and contemporary art from various genres. The aim of KIT is to promote young artists and to provide for their support,acceptance and recognition.
(Author: Oliver Kapp)

Mannesmannufer 1b 40213 Düsseldorf http://www.kunst-im-tunnel.de/

Come Inside

In the back yard of a former factory building, this private collection of contemporary art takes people by surprise. In the summer of 2016, the art collector Gil Bronner opened new spaces for his exhibition "Philara." The artist ’ s collection comprises around 1200 works for permanent and rotating exhibitions. The "Philara" exhibition, named after the first names of his children, also displays works by world-famous artists in the old glass factory. One of these is the monumental installation "artichoke underground" by Freeman & Lowe, a walk-through structure, also known as the cave, which had already received accolades in 2013 at the Art Basel Unlimited due to its size and complexity.
Author: Oliver Kapp
Fotos: Bozica Babic

Birkenstraße 47 40233 Düsseldorf http://www.philara.de/

Vaseline Store

Anyone looking for something offbeat and extravagant should take a look at the hidden - away store called "Vaseline." In this little Düsseldorf jewel you can find hip bags, artistic statues, unusual decorations and a wide selection of many colourful treasures. The store reflects the personal taste of the owner, who has a lively interest in young designers and art. He describes his store as a potpourri of various impressions, creating an absolute non-mainstream style. Reopened this year, this colourful, flashy curio collection is definitely a unique experience - and of course Vaseline is sold there, too.
Author: Oliver Kapp

Wallstraße 35 40213 Düsseldorf