Daria Yang Du · CLIENT: DD Studio
Art Omi Deconstructive Utopia is a design gallery and exhibition building in the Hudson Valley, covering about 12000 square feet. The curved concrete shell was shaped by balloon deflation studies and cast with CNC-milled formwork for precise curvature. At the center, a spherical void is preserved as the main exhibition space and public entrance. A path runs from west to east, flanked by workshops and ending at the lake. Suspended studios use lightweight steel frames clad in wood. Warm timber panels line the interiors and improve acoustics.
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- Beginned by an experimental process of morsal-folly finding process to explore form and movement, the Art Omi Design Gallery reinterprets kinetic gestures into architectural space. The design transitions from a linear system of tensioned strings to a centralized spherical volume, carved out and preserved as the main exhibition space and public entrance. This void becomes the anchor of spatial experience, emphasizing a fluid internal circulation that guides visitors across the site.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Size: 12000ft²
- Tags
- Balloon Experiment, Yarn Grid, Deflation Studies, Form-Finding, Curved Concrete, Spatial Void, Floating Studios, Circulation Path, Cultural Landmark, Landscape Integration, Lightness and Memory, Architecture and Movement
- Production Technology
- The gallery is built as a curved concrete shell shaped by balloon deflation studies, using CNC-milled formwork for precise curvature. Warm timber panels line the interiors, enhancing acoustics and contrast with the concrete mass. Suspended studios use lightweight steel frames clad in wood, appearing to float above. Foundations integrate with the lakeside landscape, anchoring the structure while respecting natural topography.
- Design Challenge
- The challenge was translating a fleeting balloon-and-yarn experiment into a permanent architectural system. Capturing the dynamic shift from expansion to deflation required rethinking geometry, circulation, and structure. Preserving the spherical void while adapting the shifting yarn grid into concrete and timber demanded both technical precision and conceptual clarity, turning ephemeral gestures into a coherent, inhabitable cultural landmark.
- Project Duration
- Art Omi in Hudson Valley
- Operation Flow
- Individual Work
- Research
- Each material guided form-finding through its properties. In balloon and yarn experiments, expansion and contraction revealed new spatial opportunities. Placed on flat topography, the balloon’s center aligned with a yarn grid, creating a cloud-like form. Strings attached to it defined smooth paths connecting to the ground. When deflated, shifting strings generated a new landscape, inviting people to walk, sit, lie, and interact with the folly as structure.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by balloon inflation and deflation studies, the design shifts from a linear system to a central spherical void, preserved as the main exhibition and entrance. A pivoting path extends west to east, flanked by workshops and ending at the lake. Suspended studios echo floating forms, while a curving concrete shell recalls string grids. Warm wood interiors contrast the monolithic frame, guiding visitors through a dynamic spatial journey.
- Image Credits
- All Design & Illustration & Drawing & Physical Model by Daria Yang DU
- Patents
- Copyright@2025 by Daria Yang Du
Press releases are available in 1 languages.