EBBE

EBBE [German for ebb tide] is a formerly site-specific installation for a decommissioned hydroelectric power plant in Innsbruck. The project aimed to make energy production visible and thus raise awareness of issues such as energy scarcity and water ecology.

As a largely CO²-neutral form of energy production with good possibilities for energy storage, hydropower is an indispensable energy source in times of climate change. Nevertheless, hydropower is criticised primarily because of its serious impact on the ecology of a landscape. The regulation of rivers and their construction with power plants has caused great damage to the biodiversity of water bodies.

The power plant with its impressive turbine hall is a listed building. Since this space was to be made accessible to the public, it was important to develop a project that would emphasize the historical dimension of the building and at the same time have a strong independent quality.

The majority of the turbine-shaped installation consists of mirrors, which serve two purposes:
Mirrors do not have an independent surface, but take on the appearance of their surroundings. Thus, the material contributes to the site-specific character of the installation.
At night, moreover, the mirrors distribute water-like reflections throughout the hall. The vivid light is created by a rotating geometric glass element made of float glass and blue hand-blown glass, which hangs in the center of the installation and is illuminated by six LED bars.

The palindrome EBBE as the title of the installation not only transports the reflective character of the artwork. For as is well known, after the ebb comes the flood: the installation makes use of this dichotomy and transforms the stagnant hydroelectric power plant into a dynamic place for art and culture.