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Mae West

Mae West is a public artwork on Effnerplatz in Munich-Bogenhausen, named after the actress Mae West. Designed by artist Rita McBride, the 52-meter-tall sculpture is a framework of pipes forming a rotational hyperboloid. The pipes are mostly made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic. The work was created as part of the 2006 redevelopment and tunneling of Effnerplatz, in connection with the requirement that public buildings allocate a share of their budget to art. Its form, size, and cost were debated in the city council and among the public. Planned since 2002, construction began in October 2010 and was completed in January 2011. Since December 2011, Munich’s tram has passed through the sculpture.

Mae West sculpture silhouetted against a bright cloudy sky with blue patches.
Mae West rising against a bright, cloud-filled sky in Munich.
March 2013 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
Upward view through Mae West’s metal ring and lattice of converging rods against a blue sky.
Mae West seen from below, with its ring-like structure and converging rods silhouetted against the sky.
March 2014 © · CC BY-SA 3.0 de
Mae West tower rising above autumn trees and distant buildings.
Mae West stands above the treetops with buildings in the distance.
November 2019 © · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mae West sculpture with a tram passing in front of it under a partly cloudy sky.
The Mae West sculpture rises beside tram tracks, with a tram passing in the foreground.
February 2017 © · CC BY-SA 3.0
The Mae West sculpture stands lit at the base as a crane rises above it during nighttime construction.
The Mae West sculpture is shown under assembly at night, with a crane towering above it.
January 2011 © · CC BY 3.0

Identification

TitleMae West
Typesculpture

Creator

ArtistRita McBride

Historical context

Approval historylocal district committee approved the project in June 2004; the development plan became legally binding in March 2008
Planned titleTower
CriticismChristian Ude compared it to an egg cup and a flower stand; Bernhard Schilling called it a possible plagiarism of the Port Tower in Kobe and the Centre Point Tower in Sydney
Controversyhighly controversial in city council and among the public, especially over size and cost
City council vote40–35 in favor of building the sculpture
Supportsupporters emphasized the corrosion-resistant material's low maintenance and the role of culture in Munich's economy
Competition8 artists were invited to develop ideas; McBride's proposal prevailed over designs by Thomas Schütte and Dennis Oppenheim
Selected siteEffnerplatz in connection with the Mittlerer Ring East tunnel project
Planning date2002
Named afteractress Mae West
Art contextKunst am Bau
Reason for site selectionplanning of the Effnertunnel made the square available for a new art project

Discovery and provenance

Commissioning and design processselected in 2002 by the commission for art in architecture and public space for the Effnerplatz site; revised proposal approved in January 2003 and redesigned in July 2003 with the engineering office of Werner Sobek

Physical characteristics

Partslower part about 15 meters high; upper part about 36 meters high
Pipe dimensions32 pipes, each 40 meters long, 225 to 275 millimeters in outer diameter, and about 15 millimeters thick; each weighs about 550 kilograms
Weightapproximately 200 tons
Shapehyperboloid of one sheet
Dimensionslower diameter 32 meters; upper diameter 19.5 meters; waist diameter 7.5 meters
Overall formtower-like plastic sculpture with a slim waist
Structureopen framework of straight beams forming a double-curved hyperboloid of revolution
Height52 meters; originally planned at 60 meters

Materials

Intermediate ring materialsteel
Raw materialscarbon fibers and resin
Main materialcarbon-fiber-reinforced plastic
Connecting elementssteel rings and steel connection elements
Lower part material32 identical carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic pipes with steel tube cores for impact protection
Upper part material32 identical slightly conical carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic pipes

Technique

Manufacturing processpipes were wound from resin-soaked carbon-fiber bundles, cross-wound, cured in an oven, and sealed against UV-related embrittlement
Surface treatmentcoated with an anti-corrosion agent
Heating systemelectric heating system to prevent icicles

Appearance

Visual referencealludes to Mae West's curvy body shape; the title was also used as a distraction while technical issues were discussed

Location and ownership

LocationEffnerplatz, Bogenhausen, Munich, Bavaria, Germany
Sitemiddle island of Effnerplatz above the Effnertunnel
Nearby transportMunich tram and city buses stop near the sculpture; the tram line runs through it to St. Emmeram
Surroundingsat the junction of the Mittlerer Ring between Isarring and Richard-Strauss-Straße, with Bülowstraße and Effnerstraße on different levels; Arabellapark and its high-rises are nearby

History and restoration

Assembly responsibilityCGB Carbon Großbauteile GmbH handled manufacturing, construction management, and assembly at Effnerplatz
Tram interactiontracks for the tram line to St. Emmeram were laid through the sculpture in April 2011, and tram service through it began in December 2011
Project leadershipJohann Wittmann
Construction period21 October 2010 to the night of 30-31 January 2011
Installation methodthe upper part was lifted by a 600-ton crane onto the lower part and the two parts were joined by screwing together the steel rings
Delayed completiondelayed by temporary frosty temperatures
Planned completionDecember 2010

Significance

Receptionmocked by many Munich residents; often described by the boulevard press as a sex symbol
Interpretationa striking contemporary urban sign and a work whose form stimulates multiple associations
Urban functionmarks the traffic junction of Effnerplatz as a city landmark
Recognitionconsidered by the Abendzeitung in 2014 to be probably the best-known and most conspicuous example of Kunst am Bau in Munich