The Kantine is on the ground floor, stretching from the street back some fifty meters in three distinct sections. First is a slight mezzanine, where the BVG Orchestra practiced; separated by three or four steps and sliding accordion screen doors is the central main dining area, now with dance floor. This opens out to the east with a wall of windows and a small courtyard garden. The north wall is the serving counter, behind which the last third, that of the kitchen.
The first need met – a floor upon which to work that is comfortable, our attention turned to the ceiling. A 1970s square-panel drop ceiling above which appeared to be satisfyingly thick and solid concrete. Except not. Whatever it is, held together with a chicken-wire-like mesh, it has the consistency of dried, ground porridge. Above which …
Dasniya cut enough of a hole to stick a head through, which we then worked on opening out to the area enclosed by the next level of structure – 4-5mm steel wire. Cutting the middle out of this and cleaning the edges, venturing up into what previously was only seen in flash-lit shots from my camera.
The steel wire is bound to 50mm wide T-beams, in turn welded to I-beams about 120mm high. They in turn bolted to the uprights above which they are mirrored beneath the scrabble-tile sloping concrete roof.
Much clutter and chunks of porridge clag.
Dasniya bores the first hole through; it’s almost a waste of an impact drill being so sandy. I think the paint on the underside assists significantly in preventing unison of ceiling and floor.
I do a bit of cleaning, soaking the exposed rim in acrylic paint to try and bond it, and scrabble above also, to set the first suspension rope. We have plans to bore at least four more over the weekend, and perhaps others if the urge takes us.
Last night after class (many regulars making the new space feel very comfortable), Dasniya rehearsed MA, which she is performing in Ljubljana next weekend (and perhaps a small rehearsal showing next Wednesday after Yoga+Shibari also).
