The bronze 3D city model was created by the artist Egbert Broerken. The two-by-four-meters relief includes 43 buildings of the historic Schwerin residence ensemble. In the 19th century, the ensemble was built as a concept of representation and function for the Grand Dukes of Mecklenburg-Schwerin in the midst of a unique cultural landscape.
The creation of a 3D city model for Schwerin was initiated by the Schwerin World Heritage Association. The association supports the application for the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The World Heritage Association presented the model to the state capital as a gift in 2019.
The miniature city view opens up new perspectives on Schwerin. Viewed from above, building and spatial structures become accessible in a simple and sensual way. Feeling or looking at the squares, alleys and buildings enables three-dimensional architectural, historical or tourist experiences.
The artist Egbert Broerken has already created many miniature versions of German and European cities. His models are created using the lost wax technique. On average, it takes three quarters of a year to work on such a project, starting with photographing all the buildings and façades, building true-to-scale architectural models, artistically creating the wax models, casting them in bronze and sculpting the base.
After graduating from high school and completing an apprenticeship as a typesetter, Egbert Broerken studied design and sculpture at the Münster University of Applied Sciences. He later took up a teaching position at the Fachhochschule für Design in Dortmund for twenty years. From the very beginning he worked with metal. He created various large sculptures for public spaces from steel and stone. The sculptor became known above all for his bronze city models for the blind. Together with pupils and teachers of the Westphalian School for the Blind in Soest, he developed the optimal touchability of the models and, together with the bronze foundry, a special process for the filigree explanations in Braille.
More than one hundred city sculptures have been created in the artist's studio in the meantime. Egbert Broerken lives and works in a small Renaissance water castle near Soest in Westphalia.
