Silver Fine Arts and Art Installation Design · 2022
Aqua Scape the Orangery Version Whole Plastic Architecture
by Fujiki Architectural Design Studio
- A' Design Award 2022 Silver Winner in Fine Arts and Art Installation Design
- Awarded April 15, 2022
- CLIENT: F.a.d.s
- Estimated Number of Design Views: 36,749
- Verification code 028356A2EE · Verify this award
About Aqua Scape the Orangery Version Whole Plastic Architecture
This is the second version of Aqua scape. The first-version had completed as the first prototype of Whole Plastic Architecture. Aqua scape was a soft and boneless architecture. Aqua-scape The Orangery version has a double skin system although the first version was a single skin. If it is called that the first-version was boneless like a jellyfish, it is been able to say the Orangery version is like a small shrimp because it is wrapped by transparent soft shell. The first-version of Aqua scape in Japan 2006 was floating on the water, however this is floating on the grass.
Within the evolving field of site-specific installation practice, Aqua Scape the Orangery Version Whole Plastic Architecture by Ryumei Fujiki and Yukiko Sato represents a thoughtful meditation on the dialogue between historical architectural heritage and contemporary material innovation. The work occupies the formal lawn before a neoclassical orangery structure, its translucent biomorphic form establishing a compelling visual conversation with the symmetrical stone facade behind it. The artists appear to explore how synthetic materials might achieve an organic presence within cultivated landscapes traditionally defined by natural growth and classical architectural proportion. The sculptural form's tessellated membrane of triangulated panels creates a faceted surface that captures and refracts ambient light, producing an effect reminiscent of both natural crystal formations and aquatic organisms, perhaps suggesting the work's titular reference to underwater landscapes transposed into terrestrial garden contexts. The cerulean and aquamarine chromatic signature introduces a cooling visual accent within the predominantly verdant setting, evoking associations with water, sky, and precious minerals while remaining sympathetically integrated with its surroundings through its transparency and reflective qualities. Technically, the work demonstrates sophisticated understanding of parametric geometry and tensile structural principles, with each facet contributing to overall formal integrity while maintaining the appearance of weightless suspension. The installation seems to invite contemplation of material transformation and environmental adaptation, proposing that contemporary synthetic materials might achieve a kind of organic beauty when shaped by principles derived from natural systems. Visitors encountering this work might consider how innovation and tradition, the manufactured and the natural, can coexist in productive dialogue rather than opposition. What conversations between past and future does this luminous presence initiate within its historical setting?
Press Kit
- Unique Properties
- BONELESS ARCHITECTURE MADE OF ONLY PLASTIC MATERIALS: This is the second version of Aqua-scape. The first one had completed as the first prototype of Whole Plastic Architecture. Aqua-scape was a soft and boneless architecture. This Aqua-scape The Orangery version has a double skin system although the first version was a single skin. If I say the first version was boneless like a jellyfish, I can say the Orangery version is like a small shrimp because it is wrapped by transparent soft shell.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The size of this work is width:1.5m by hight:1.5m by length:4m.
- Tags
- Plastic, Origami, Jellyfish, Small Shrimp, Space for Children
- Production Technology
- MATERIAL: The outer skin is made of a transparent 2mm thick polycarbonate sheet and the inner skin is a net structural 10mm thick cushion which was made of tubular polyethylene fiber. A net structural cushion is the one that the straw fiber in the midair that can be done with EVA or polyethylene is chiefly paid to attention as a cushion material for the bed by a transparent material with the welded three-dimensional spring structure in the reticulation. STRUCTURE: It is form resistance structure applied the ORIGAMI technique. CONSTRUCTION METHOD: The inner skin is made entirely by weaving a belt of a net structural cushion measuring 0.5m x 4m.
- Design Challenge
- This project started from one image Soft space like water. Is it possible to create a space by weaving a soft plastic material like cloth? Our study had been repeated with a lot of experiments aiming at the achievement of the initial image. However, despite trying many materials, most of our experiments had failed. Finally, we found a way to weave belts of 0.5m by 4m net structural cushions and bend them to create irregularities. However, because a net structural cushion was elastic, it could not maintain its shape just by bending it. Therefore, we decided to connect the vertices each other of the fold lines with a tension material, with the meaning of introducing compressive force to the material in advance.
- Project Duration
- Beam Gallery (The Orangery) in Wakefield, England, UK
- Operation Flow
- SPACE FOR CHILDREN: We made it as "Space for Children". So, only children can enter this work. We were able to meet indeed a lot of smiles of children during the exhibition.
- Research
- FORM RESISTANCE STRUCTURE BY ORIGAMI TECHNIQUE: Not only the materials but also the structure and the construction method have been unsolved problems for long time since the project started, because it was very difficult to realize a soft and boneless architecture. When we were almost giving up the achievement of the concept to make it by using only plastic materials, we could find out Net structural cushion at last. A net structural cushion is made from EVA or polyethylene straw fiber as a cushion material for the bed with the reticulated three dimensional spring structure. However, a net structural cushion was unexpectedly heavy. It was occurred problem how to support the self-weight. After the many trials were failed, I concentrated to research the form resistance structure. An appropriate shape is given to the material and the structure that strength is obtained is called form resistance structure. After I folded many papers like ORIGAMI, a bright idea hit me by getting a hint from the thinking of Dr. Kresling. I could make the ruggedness on the surface of the cylinder like the paragraph seen in the bamboo that did abnormal growth. Then, the effect was similar to that of the PCCP shell.
- Inspiration
- We were inspired from a jellyfish and a small shrimp because they are boneless. We were received an e-mail from Beam Gallery in UK and were requested to carry Aqua-scape (the first version) from Japan to UK. But, we thought it was impossible because Aqua-scape was big and heavy. So, we proposed a half size. However, if we made a half size Aqua-scape, a thickness of material would become a half size. Then, the strength of material would be we weaker. For that reason, it was difficult to make it.
- Image Credits
- Fujiki Studio, KOU::ARC
- Patents
- Fujiki Studio, KOU::ARC
Colors of Aqua Scape the Orangery Version Whole Plastic Architecture
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