Foundation Art and Public Space
artist: Marc Müller
located in: GGZ Drenthe Noord,
client: GGZ Drenthe Noord
In late 2004, as part of the 2002 ZonMw competition, Marc Müller completed the 'Rookarena' in the cafeteria of the GGZ Drenthe Noord in Assen. As of 1 January 2005, smoking will be banned in all public spaces within psychiatric health care. As a result the clients’ advisory board of the GGZ Drenthe Noord wanted to create a smoking area within a non-smoking coffee counter located in the visitor’s center, De Brink, in Assen. The smoking area needed to be realized in such a way that smokers and non-smokers could still remain in contact with each other.
Marc Müller
Smoke Arena
Marc Müller placed an enclosed smokers’ room in the cafeteria. The room is a 3.20 meters high, deep, wooden arena that, at first sight, looks like a big box with a folding lid and a glass front. The arena is U-shaped and inside there are four rows of seats on different levels. The pillar in the center of the U-shape functions as an ashtray. On the outside of the glass front is one of the arena’s folded out wooden partitions which serves as a platform for non-smokers. Under the seats, the arena has small rectangular openings that function as air vents. Next to the entrance of the arena there are ‘smoker’s cushions’ lying around and ‘smoker’s coats’ hanging on the wall. Both are inscribed with designs that conjure up the logos of different cigarette brands. (PP)
photo: John Stoel
