Behind Facades

Built in the early 1970s the residential complex in the Germany university city of Göttingen is made up of 17 floors and 407 apartments of reinforced concrete. Back then the apartments of the housing block were considered chick, a good location. Lawyers, university staff and young families lived in these luxury apartments. The site was attractive, right between university campus and city centre, equipped with swimming pool and sauna. Over the years, the building has fallen into disrepair and today is seen by many as an “eyesore” and “deprived area”. Most of the numerous housing blocks in Germany have shared the same fate. Ingmar’s photo-essay deals with the everyday lives, environments and emotional worlds of people who currently live in the residential complex.

Ingmar built personal relationships with several residents for 18 months to understand what makes their life in this formerly prestigious building. He accompanied and portrayed drug addicts, welfare recipients as well as students and poverty-stricken old age pensioners, among others. His project allows a look behind the reinforced concrete walls and into the lives of the individuals and their stories spanning beyond the juxtaposition of isolated living environments.

*Every name mentioned in the captions was changed by the author