The German graphic designer Matthias Jung resurrected his childhood project ‘Surreal homes’ which he first constructed as a child using glue and scissors out of shear fascination. He has created some beautiful collages of homes which are structurally impossible to build. His dream-like collages capture our imagination and take us to a fantasy world. It is interesting that every piece used in the collages originates from photographs taken by him on his trips in North-Eastern Germany.
Expedition to the East Pole. Courtesy of © Matthias Jung
Through his works, he shows us that order and disorder, homogeneity and diversity must find a degree of harmony. He creates disorder in a building that is stable. His understanding of architecture , its details and the feelings it evokes are very precise. A latticed window gives a feeling of coziness, framework is soothing , antennas look like they’re pointing to something above, and concrete seems cold and foreign. But what happens when different elements with different associations collide with each other? The collages or the ‘Architectural short poems’ as he calls them show us precisely that.
On the way to Kamtchatka. Courtesy of © Matthias Jung
Abendland, which basically means countries of the West is a multilevel building with a giant balloon like stained glass floating in midair. Seems impossible, doesn’t it? Kurhaus ost meaning kurhaus east is a building on long stilts. It looks like its floating and seems impossible to build. Expedition zum ostpo meaning expedition to the east pole is a floating monument which hovers over the surface of the earth with a wheel attached below.
Zonenrandgebiet (a historic term for ‘area adjacent to the Soviet zone’). Courtesy of © Matthias Jung
The perception of Architecture , space and time are challenged through this series of ‘surreal homes’. As a designer, Jung challenges the existing and turns the whole notion of architecture upside down.“Collages are like dreams,” he says, “or maybe dreams are like collages!”
Maternity Unit. Courtesy of © Matthias Jung
By : Ruchi Patel
