OBBA Architects collaborated with Studio DERTIEN 12 for the design of The Floating Island, an urban installation in the charming town of Bruges, Belgium. By building a twisting pavilion on one of the city canals, the architects tried to blur the line between land and water and drive people to the waterside.
“The pavilion consists of pontoons on the water, metal frames, deck plates, metal pillars, upper metal rails connecting the pillars and rope curtains embracing the rails,” the architects explained.
“The rope curtains and their shades create ambiguous spaces that seem to be open and closed at the same time. In addition, the curtains and shadows reacting to the light and wind blur the boundaries, repeatedly open and close visitors’ sights, and make familiar landscapes fresh again.”
By using materials like rope and wood, the installation visually adapts to its surroundings while remaining unique. We particularly like the playful touches of this installation.
“There are various spaces with different shapes and forms in the middle of the linear trail where people can rest quietly,” the architects added. “Visitors can enjoy sunbathing, leaning into the tilted ropes or rest on the wide rope hammocks looking at the clouds in the sky. In addition, they can read books or reflect while sitting in the circular space alone, or have a great time playing on the swings.”
Take a look at the video below to get a better idea of this floating island in Bruges and let us know your thoughts.
Photography by OBBA Architects.
The post Floating Island in Belgium Drives People to the Waterside appeared first on Freshome.com.