Folie - A Dramatic Installation

The first project we've been given for the year was to design a Folie, a structural sculpture designed to activate a space. My initial reaction to the site we were given, The Howard Smith Wharves, was a strong fascination with the cliff face, and its potential for an installation which could potentially draw people in from the surrounding area, as well as offering a unique viewpoint to observe the river.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                      "Thinking is more intense than knowing, but less interesting than looking" 

                                                                                   - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe.

This single idea, along with the challenge of utilising the natural cliff face led me to design a simple lookout, in a new location. Regular geometry, contrasting with chaotic wire formations form the basis of the design, creating a platform for viewers to think, rest, and observe the world from a new angle. 

Initial sketches of the design included a series of light screens, to further highlight the installation, and create a unique spectacle on the face of the cliff, in the hopes of actively encouraging pedestrians to visit the area. Experimental hand modelling techniques were then used to further the design, with light and form being manipulated and explored. 

  These methods lead to the final design below, a striking form, illuminated on the cliffside. The design is at once a lookout, and a architectural beacon. A neon signpost, offering a vivid attraction to the city, and a method of drawing new visitors to the area.