Snarkitecture installation recreates beach experience at Washington museum
by Jason Holland | 09 Jun 2015
A beach made from a mishmash of construction materials and an ocean comprised of 750,000 recyclable plastic balls is being created in the heart of Washington, D.C.
Brooklyn-based design studio Snarkitecture has created the 10,000sq ft (929sq m) interactive architectural exhibit – the BEACH – for the National Building Museum. It follows in the footsteps of a life-sized maze designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, which was installed in the museum’s Great Hall last summer.
The BEACH will be built out of construction materials including scaffolding, wooden panels, and perforated mesh, all clad in stark white to be consistent with Snarkitecture's aesthetic, while monochromatic beach chairs and umbrellas will line the 50ft (15m) wide “shoreline”.
The translucent plastic balls will form an “ocean” for visitors to swim in, which culminates in a mirrored wall that creates a seemingly infinite reflected expanse.
“We see the commission as an exciting opportunity to create an architectural installation that reimagines the qualities and possibilities of material, encourages exploration and interaction with one’s surroundings, and offers an unexpected and memorable landscape for visitors to relax and socialise within,” said Alex Mustonen, co-founder of Snarkitecture.
Scheduled to open on 4 July and running to 7 September, a crowd-funding campaign has been set up to help construct the BEACH. Rewards include the chance to have your name written on one of the balls. Already nearly halfway towards a US$10,000 (€8,883, £6,545) goal, the project page can be viewed here.
Visitors will be able to swim in the “ocean” – made up of hundreds of thousands of translucent plastic balls Credit: Snarkitecture
A beach made from a mishmash of construction materials and an ocean comprised of 750,000 recyclable plastic balls is being created in the heart of Washington, D.C. Brooklyn-based design studio Snarkitecture has created the 10,000sq ft (929sq m) interactive architectural exhibit – the BEACH – for the National Building Museum. It follows in the footsteps of a life-sized maze designed by BIG-Bjarke Ingels Group, which was installed in the museum’s
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"Culture is the beating heart of this project"
Designed to restore neglected land and renew the identity of Iraq’s capital city, Baghdad Sustainable Forests promises a new way of living surrounded by nature. Gensler’s Ian Mulcahay tells us why he thinks the project could become a model for the repair and enhancement of urban centres
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