kaalenkammen - welcome

European highway E50

In September 2011, architect/writer Michel Heesen and photographer /filmer Hans Stakelbeek will spend four weeks on European highway E50 Brest - Makhachkala (Caspian Sea).

During the trip, they will use multiple ways of documenting and mapping the E50: photos of the physical elements of the highway (bridges, viaducts, tunnels et cetera), public spaces (parkings, restaurants and so on) and interviews with the 'inhabitants' of the E50: waitresses, shopkeepers and bush mechanics. In a number of European cities, Heesen and Stakelbeek will give a lecture and moderate debates on the future of mobility. Back in the Netherlands, they will present their findings to the government.

In May 2009, Heesen and Stakelbeek made a similar road trip along European route E75 Barentsz Sea - Crete. The result of that trip, a period piece of a rapidly changing international route, was exhibited in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Maastricht.

More about the 2009 E75 road trip

European highways, debating on the future of mobility

During their road trip, Heesen and Stakelbeek will give lectures and moderate debates on the future of mobility in a number of European cities.

The first debate will take place in the metropolitan area of Stuttgart, where pioneers Carl Benz, Gottlieb Daimler and Wilhelm Maybach designed and build the first automobiles, 125 years ago.

The second debate will take place in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia and the crossing point of two European routes: E-roads E75 and E50 share the asphalt some 50 km north of Bratislava.

After Slovakia, we will head on to Ukraine (Ternopil, Kiev and Donetsk) and Russia. On our way back to Rotterdam, we will halt in Istanbul, Milan and Paris.

The lectures/ debates of ''European highways, debating on the future of mobility'' are co-funded by the Netherlands Architecture Fund (NfA).