Network of Objects
The Cloud Garden is a set of soft geometric clusters arranged in the landscape to encourage an interactive and social environment. These sensual constructs allow visitors to play in, on, and around the voluptuous shapes or simply relax in the company of others. The pieces are designed as a distributed network of objects sharing similar formal characteristics and material properties as part of a related series. The character of each “cloud” is defined by the resolution of its shape determined by the size of its units, inflatable anti-burst PVC spheres, that make up its body encased in a four-way stretch poly mesh. This set contains six scales based on the negotiation between the size of the tailored poly mesh sack and the size and quantity of the spheres it contains. The lightweight nature of its materials allows the “clouds” to be arranged into a variety of configurations based on user and contextual demands defining a sense of place.
Economy and Mobility
The Cloud Garden is a study on temporary and reusable architecture. Its lightweight poly mesh bags are easily zipped open and closed and may be washed after each use. The durable PVC spheres that make up its body may be deflated in a matter of minutes to be repacked and shipped for installation in new locations.
Flexible Arrangment
The Cloud Garden is a mobile and temporal playground. It defines place not by location, but by developing a relationship with its users creating a region of activity. Properties of sensuality and durability encourage a variety of behaviors ranging from static relaxation to active play.
There is no defined shape of the Cloud Garden or its individual “clouds”; it defines its space by use and proximity. The clusters may be easily moved to create new spatial arrangements and the flexible nature of the their soft components allows local formal shifts, adjusting to each user’s body and activities.
Awards
The project was selected by an international competition for installation at the Festival des Architectures Vives (FAV) 2014 in La Grande Motte, France on the Patio de l’Église St. Augustin where it received “Mention Spéciale” from the competition jury.
Exhibitions
Following its debut in France, the Cloud Garden was invited for installation in the courtyard of the internationally recognized Aedes Network Campus Berlin(ANCB) Metropolitan Laboratory for participation in the 2014 Water as Ritual symposium.
