Before WorldWar II Appingedam had a large Jewish community. This community fell apart completely during the war. The foundation responsible for the conservation of heritage in Appingedam (Stichting Oude Groninger Kerken) wanted to honor this lost community, with its synagogue as the central point.
212 Fahrenheit: “We made a special bookcase. It carries 56 books, representing 56 life stories of individuals belonging to the Jewish community. They describe what is known of their shortened lives, but all have the same number of pages. Every book has a series of blank pages to illustrate their unfinished and abruptly ended lives.”
“We wanted the bookcase to show the signs of destruction left on things and people by war and time. It is made from rusted cortensteel. The lights in the bookcase turn on when someone approaches. They light up and dim in a rhythm that resembles breathing.”
Winner European Design Awards 2016
Photos: 212 Fahrenheit/ Roelof Bos
