Riding a bike to work or on vacation can feel refreshing and liberating. Distances of up to 10 km can be covered easily and efficiently by bicycle. Yet in rural areas, unlike in cities, bicycles are rarely used as a means of transport, even though they could increase mobility. Perhaps what is missing is a special infrastructure that makes daily cycling more attractive. The idea behind Fahrtext is to add value to existing bike paths, reduce the barriers for potential users, and create a framework in which commuting by bike becomes a more appealing alternative.
A continuous line of ceramic stones lies flat along the bike path, accompanying commuters or cycling tourists. Their glaze contains photoluminescent pigments, causing the stones to glow at night even without electricity. Every 10 meters, a section changes from rectangular to arrow-shaped stones, indicating the direction. Every 500 meters, the continuous line is interrupted by slanted stones on which a sequence of letters forms a word. Over the course of several kilometers, these words combine to form a sentence.
The text is an excerpt from Abseits: Liebeserklärung an eine Landschaft (2005), a reflection on the Mark Brandenburg region by Günter de Bruyn, a writer who lives near Beeskow in the Oder-Spree district. While cycling, we read a narrative layer of the landscape through his sentences. Incorporating words from the local culture into the landscape aims to create a stronger connection and identification with it, while simultaneously redefining our mobility habits.
