Turbo Pascal
UPSIDE DOWN WORLD

Cologne has three cars for every child. And that number is going up. As traffic participants, children are primarily potential accident victims. They need flashing lights in order not to be run over. Because road traffic is designed first and foremost for cars to get where they want to go: “Pedestrians must cross the carriageway by the shortest route possible” (§ 25 Road Traffic Regulations). Traffic is a system conceived and designed by adult men. Here it should be noted that girls have a markedly smaller range of movement than boys and the difference between them increases progressively as children get older.

The performance group Turbo Pascal will open an “upside down world” in the middle of Cologne. This is a dodgem car rink with no cars, a playful space of confrontation, an open area to have fun on the move and somewhere to practice the city of tomorrow. Children, and adults too, are invited to join Turbo Pascal to think about traffic as it is now, gather ideas for a different tomorrow and to try these out with loads of action in the dodgem rink: what do you experience on your way through the city, on foot, by bike, on a tram, a bus, or in car? When is it dangerous? And do you like the rules for road traffic? What might new rules look like?

UPSIDE DOWN WORLD is both a game and an appeal: for different road traffic regulations, where priority is not always given to those who are bigger, faster or more dominant.