AUS WEG LOS!
Event - VinziDorf 20th Anniversary Client - VinziDorf, Graz Location - Various cities in Austria Exhibition Space - 2 shipping containers & 10 displays Project Type - Traveling exhibition Opening - October 2013 In collaboration with Mareike Schöpflin Responsible for project lead, exhibition concept, graphic design, execution and set-up
AUS WEG LOS! is a traveling exhibition on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of VinziDorf. VinziDorf is an Austrian social organization that supports homeless men, providing them with a room in a container village and enabling them to live in dignity—without the restrictions of conventional homeless shelters.
Rather than placing VinziDorf itself at the center, the exhibition focused on its residents—their stories, hardships, and losses. Their experiences were conveyed through infographics, acoustic installations, interactive elements, and video interviews.
The exhibition traveled through five Austrian cities, using two repurposed shipping containers as mobile exhibition spaces.
One container presented statistics about VinziDorf and introduced its residents. The other was a sleeping container, identical to those in the village. In each city, Austrian personalities were invited to spend a night in the container and share their experiences.
A central exhibition element was "The Men”: Twelve VinziDorf residents shared their stories and became the faces of the exhibition. Each of them was represented by a human-sized, three-sided prism. The three sides of each prism illustrated different phases of their lives:
1 - The path that led them to the streets.
2 - Life at VinziDorf.
3 - The future—or in some cases, unfortunately, their passing.
Beyond storytelling, these prisms served a practical function: They allowed for a flexible exhibition layout, creating an enclosed space in each city’s main square. Since every square had a different shape and size, this adaptable design ensured the exhibition could seamlessly integrate into each location.
The sleeping container was furnished with original pieces designed by the residents themselves. The goal was to give visitors an authentic sense of what it means to live in a 6 m² room while providing deeper insight into daily life at VinziDorf. The second container featured an open sidewall, allowing passersby to engage with the exhibition from the outside. The interior walls and floor were covered with printed banners displaying the history of VinziDorf along with key facts and figures. This container also functioned as a stage for various events throughout its journey across the five cities.