Kunsthofpassage: Courtyard of the Elements

The Kunsthofpassage is a network of five artist-designed courtyards in Dresden’s Äußere Neustadt district. Completed in 2001, the complex combines residential and commercial buildings with distinctive architectural installations. The photographs from 2018 document the Hof der Elemente, or Courtyard of the Elements.

Artists Annette Paul, Christoph Roßner and André Tempel designed the courtyard’s contrasting façades. On the blue water façade, exposed gutters, funnels and downpipes direct rainwater through a sculptural system, producing changing visual and acoustic effects before the water reaches a basin. The artists drew inspiration from the large, openly routed downpipes found on buildings in St. Petersburg. Across the courtyard, gold-colored aluminum panels mounted on a yellow wall represent the element of light.