DAS FORUM | 15.05.2024 – 20.10.2024
TRUE TO SCALE
The History of C&A Stores in Model and Image
The Draiflessen Collection includes roughly 100 architectural models of C&A department stores. For the most part, these models come from the Nattler architecture company in Essen, formerly E. A. Gärtner / R. Stiens. Since the 1950s, in the course of decades of collaboration between C&A and the company’s Essen office, over 170 department stores were designed and built; to date, these stores have been renovated several times and already repurposed or demolished in some instances. In addition to this extraordinarily large inventory of models, our company archive has many photographs and documents related to particular locations.
This means that there are many stories about the buildings that have left their mark on German city centers for generations. Above all, however, it is the architectural models themselves that are fascinating—miniature worlds with a distinctive character of their own. While they were originally a means of visualizing a possible built future, they are now presented in the DAS Forum as perfect examples and historical evidence of an architectural scene that no longer exists in this form.
The exhibition in DAS Forum shows that the architectural model is far more than a mere working tool—it is both a design for the future and an artifact of times gone by.
This means that there are many stories about the buildings that have left their mark on German city centers for generations. Above all, however, it is the architectural models themselves that are fascinating—miniature worlds with a distinctive character of their own. While they were originally a means of visualizing a possible built future, they are now presented in the DAS Forum as perfect examples and historical evidence of an architectural scene that no longer exists in this form.
The exhibition in DAS Forum shows that the architectural model is far more than a mere working tool—it is both a design for the future and an artifact of times gone by.
![](https://www.draiflessen.com/rails/active_storage/representations/redirect/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaHBBdE04IiwiZXhwIjpudWxsLCJwdXIiOiJibG9iX2lkIn19--674a6f3d7716a77e70c98681794362271ff0ee74/eyJfcmFpbHMiOnsibWVzc2FnZSI6IkJBaDdDVG9MWm05eWJXRjBTU0lJYW5CbkJqb0dSVlE2QzNKbGMybDZaVWtpRERnd01IZzRNREFHT3daVU9neHhkV0ZzYVhSNVNTSUhOekFHT3daVU9neGpiMjUyWlhKMFNTSUlhbkJuQmpzR1ZBPT0iLCJleHAiOm51bGwsInB1ciI6InZhcmlhdGlvbiJ9fQ==--7a8e15606e74ef6f12e51d7744181c4adabf99d1/EP04309-0010.jpg?locale=en)
Architekturmodell C&A Hamburg, Mönckebergstraße, um 1970
| © Draiflessen Collection, Foto/photo: HGEsch
Accompanying programe
July
Wednesday
31.07.2024
11.00
– 13.00
|
Holiday Activities
The department stores' of my dreams
in the exhibition TRUE TO SCALE
Together we will look at the wonderful department stores' models in the presentation TRUE TO SCALE and then discuss our own ideas of a department store in the studio.
August
Wednesday
07.08.2024
11.00
– 13.00
|
Holiday Activities
Designing clothes hangers *** fully booked
in the exhibition TRUE TO SCALE
Today we are designing our own hangers that match our style and fit into our wardrobes and dressing rooms.
Wednesday
14.08.2024
11.00
– 13.00
|
Holiday Activities
A village of houses - Raysin casting for beginners *** fully booked
in the exhibition TRUE TO SCALE
After a short tour of our True to scale exhibition, we will go to the studio together and cast small houses from Raysin.
September
Thursday
05.09.2024
18.00
– 19.00
|
Curator’s Tour
Art in the Evening
in the exhibition TRUE TO SCALE
Ask the curator of the exhibition TRUE TO SCALE your questions!