The "Rewriting" staircase in Munich is a contemporary sculpture located in the inner courtyard of the offices of the international auditing company KPMG. It is not known for certain what its creator, designer Olafur Eliasson, meant by the title "Rewriting," but the form of the sculpture, consisting of steps that rise in undulating curves to a height of nine meters and then fall downward in a sharp cascade, invites a wide range of interpretations.
"Rewriting" has been compared to a DNA molecule, the infinity symbol, the painting "Ascending and Descending" by the Dutch artist Maurits Escher, and Penrose's impossible staircase. Partly because of Germans' belief in mysticism, and simply for safety reasons, the "Rewriting" staircase can only be visited during daylight hours on weekdays. At other times, a chain hangs at its base, and stepping over it is strictly forbidden. It is also inadvisable to climb the staircase in groups of more than 10 people.
Incidentally, in 2004, when "Rewriting" was officially unveiled, it immediately received an award for the best work of art created to adorn an architectural structure.
