During the 1960s, the city of Wolfsburg endeavored in many ways to present itself as a city that was more than just open to contemporary art. In addition to the establishment of the art prize junge stadt sieht junge kunst, the founding of an art association and the establishment of a municipal art collection, numerous art purchases for public spaces are also an expression of this new field of activity in cultural policy. Art in architecture was no less relevant.
An internal city regulation from 1959 stipulated -__-0000-__- that for new municipal buildings, one percent of the total construction sum was to be set aside for artistic design. The procedure goes back to a resolution passed by the federal government in 1950, but its interpretation always remained a matter for the federal states. Despite this regulation, "around 40 entrepreneurs, craftsmen, businesses and private individuals" came together in the late 1960s to donate a steel relief measuring around three by three meters from the workshop of Berlin artist Gerd Winner to the new Westhagen school center. This "folded structure made of stainless steel" was then to adorn the school hall (Fig. 1). -__-0002-__-

"In the past, a commission was given to an artist from the 'art in construction' pot, usually by the city itself," according to the Wolfsburger Nachrichten. The initiative to realize an architectural art installation in the new school center was taken at the time by Hans Hinze, who was responsible for the construction management. In September In addition to the members of the Wolfsburg artists' collective Schloßstraße 8, Rudolf Mauke and Heinrich Heidersberger, the Berlin-based sculptor Gerd Winner also submitted a design for the school center in Westhagen. -__-0001-__- However, neither Mauke's ceramic mural nor Heidersberger's picture installation met with the approval of the art advisory board, whereas Winner's stainless steel relief did. In a letter dated August 18, 1968, the former master student Werner Volkerts explained the idea behind his steel sculpture:
"My work is based on a central composition; two segments of a free circular form open up, forming a fourfold fold in the center, which in its formal diversity contrasts with the calm side segments. The circular motif appears here in the projection as an ellipse, is arranged in relation to or against each other on the differently inclined relief surfaces, is varied in form and color, and establishes relationships across several relief surfaces. The composition is assigned to three sides. From the different viewpoints in the room, several compositions become clear." -__-0002-__-
This apparently aroused particular enthusiasm in school architect Hans Hinze. On his initiative, Winner's sculpture was to be realized as a donation to the city from all the companies involved in the construction of the school center (Fig. 2). The Wolfsburg Culture Committee deliberated on this in a "lengthy-__-0003-__- discussion of principles" on September 11, 1968. -__-0004-__- In conclusion, the committee unanimously decided to accept the donation and thus submitted its recommendation to the Administrative Committee for further deliberation.

In September 1968, Hinze received a letter from city councillor Karl-Heinz Schulte informing him that the administrative committee had also given its approval. -__-0000-__- In March 1969, Hinze sent a letter to all the construction companies involved, in which he did not fail to once again vigorously promote Gerd Winner: "G. Winner has appeared in various exhibitions, including in Berlin, Munich, Helsinki, Washington U.S.A., Frankfurt and Dortmund. His works can also be found in renowned German collections."-__-0001-__- Incidentally, he was to be awarded the Wolfsburg City Art Prize in the same year. A total of 39 companies responded to Hinze's appeal; by October 1969, the sum of DM 20,000 required for the purchase had already been raised. The companies involved, led by the architect Hinze, then produced a small memento for all donors in the form of an illustrated brochure, which, in addition to Hinze's comments, also contains a joint foreword by the Lord Mayor Hugo Bork and the Chief Town Clerk Günter Balk:
"Even in the choice of materials - concrete and steel - the architects involved and the artist have shown a sure and happy hand, and in this union Gerd Winner has created a work of art which, like the building itself, is entirely in keeping with the formal language of our time. -__-0002-__- What applies to the work of art and its creation, i.e. to the artistic part, is equally important for the exemplary cooperation of the sponsors. A new form of patronage has been found here for Wolfsburg that deserves the highest recognition."-__-0003-__-
On November 21, 1969, the sculpture was presented to the city of Wolfsburg and its citizens at a "festive hour" in the rooms of the school. -__-0004-__- Further planning commissions under the regular use of the catchword "art in architecture" followed shortly afterwards for the Detmerode elementary school center (--> Mauke, ceramic reliefs)-__-0005-__- as well as the new vocational school. -__-0006-__-