“The workers’ lift”explores the hidden space occupied by workers in a large shopping centre in Cologne, Germany. The workers move between floors unseen by shoppers, using an exclusive private elevator that doesn’t have doors and never stops. The elevator is like a conveyor belt that continuously deposits staff throughout the building. “The workers lift” offers a peaceful and quiet mode of transport. It provides a moment of escape for the staff, as they occupy a hidden pocket of space away from the hectic noisy shopping environment that awaits them on the other side.
The lift moves rhythmically, seamlessly and silently between floors in a steady loop. The workers glide on and off in concert with its flow. Person and machine engage in a form of a daily ritualistic dance where the basic step is so simple yet becomes bigger and more beautiful with repetition and isolation from the complexities of urban life.