International Competitions in Architecture
A HOUSE FOR FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE
Friedrich Nietzsche was born on the 15th of October, 1844, in Röcken, Prussia. It is "interesting" to recall that from the age of five he was raised (and surrounded) by five women: his mother, his grandmother, two aunts and his sister. Considering his life and work, we ask you this question: How would a house for Friedrich Nietzsche look like...? How would it be...? Would it be a cave, a tent, a hut, a cellar, an attic, a gutter, a puddle, a studio, a flat, a penthouse, a suburban villa, a palace...? How would it be...? We learned that in his later years, regressed into "insanity," he was cared for by his vain sister. The picture of a regressed Nietzsche, laying placidly in the bathtub, while his sister would energetically (or who knows how?) wash his back, is comically incongruous with Zarathustra. But here is a question: why would Nietzsche choose a Persian prophet as his very inspired messenger to a damnated world...? Why not a Westerner...? Why did he choose, instead, someone from a "zone" quite recently included in that infamous "axis of Evil...?" Isn't it very "strange...?" To return: how would one imagine, today, a house for Nietzsche...? On the occasion of his birthday, perhaps this question might not be irrelevant. So we invite you to imagine a house for this very astute observer and commentator of the end of a world...! But since an ending could be, many times, a new beginning, conceiving a house for Nietzsche might even be necessary, for us, proud (or less proud) pioneers of a new Millennium! So, please lay on Zarathustra's rock for a second and think! And then draw! It is possible that Nietzsche himself would have smiled together with us, on the occasion of this day, when one hundred sixty three years ago, he came to life in order to ring the bell of the 24th hour of Modernity...
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