Last May, inspired by an email exchange between philosophers Lieven De Cauter and Dieter Lesage, Domus invited readers to send in their ideas for possible ways to connect the European and African continents across the Strait of Gibraltar. The results range in scale—and feasibility—from a simple cablecar to a giant floating Mediterranean city, frequently questioning the troubled history of the relationship between the two continents.
Project Heracles: Call for ideas
Project Heracles: A Eurafrican Bridge
An open letter to the President of the European Council
Project Heracles exhibition in London
Project Heracles #1:Lieven De Cauter and Dieter Lesage comment on selected contributions to Project Heracles
Project Heracles #2: Geoff Manaugh comments on selected contributions to Project Heracles
Frequency with which certain design strategies recur among the 200 projects received:
21 Islands and archipelagos
10 Ship chains
6 Bridge-cities
6 Red Sea
5 Bridges suspended with air ballons
4 Tensile structures
4 Funiculars
4 Tightropes
3 Rainbows
3 Markets
3 Airships
2 Underwater bridges
2 Roller coasters
2 Tunnels
1 No bridge
1 Geoengineering
1 Shopping mall
1 Zebra crossing
1 New continent
1 Swimming Pool
Above postcard by: Fabrizio Tozzoli & Eliana Salazar (San Lazzaro di Savena, Italy)