Post-Industrial Chic: A Cultural Renaissance in the Heart of Germany March 23, 2010

As the European Capital of Culture 2010, the Ruhr region of Germany is reinventing itself as the "Ruhr Metropolis". As if rising from the ashes of its industrial heritage, it's emerging as a nucleus of culture and natural beauty that this year is being celebrated with more than 300 projects and over 2,500 events region-wide. It's a commonly understood irony that the edgiest kind of cool and the most progressive artistic scenes are often born in places that were once considered derelict, damaged or forgotten. Witness the Ruhr, a polycentric metropolitan cluster in Germany that's made up of 53 cities, including Dortmund and Essen. For more than a century, the area was devoted to the coal and steel industries, which allowed it to grow and flourish, though hardly as a pioneer of avant-garde art and architectural innovation. With the decline of coal mining and steel production and the wreckage left by heavy bombing after World War II, the Ruhr was in crisis. Now, it is becoming the scene of frenetic activity in the areas of art, architecture, music and sustainable technologies as well as initiatives to restore the natural splendor of its landscape with new parks, gardens and wild green spaces - all without disowning its industrial past or hardworking roots. Accordingly, it's been named the official European Capital of Culture for 2010. In honor of this year-long cultural celebration, the Vogelsang MINI dealership in Recklinghausen, Germany, commissioned the decoration of a MINI with the major landmarks of the Ruhr region. It was on display at the Motor Show in Essen this past fall.  They used a specially developed technique that coats the car in an adhesive, decorative skin - visit the dealership website for more information on the procedure and to learn how to get your own MINI pimped by the folks in Recklinghausen.   Be sure to keep an eye out for new developments from the up-and-coming Ruhr region and add it to your list of cultural destinations this year.