FAKT hovers an undulating aluminium cloudscape within a french courtyard all images © giulio boem 2015

during the 2015 edition of the lively architecture festival, FAKT has realized an aluminium cloudscape that seems to weightlessly hover within a provincial courtyard in montpellier. the berlin and zurich-based studio have conceived ‘#034’ as a spatial and structural experiment — two sheets of 2mm thick aluminum undulates inside the semi-outdoor space, spanning a distance of 6.4 meters long by 4.5 meters wide. the two paper-like layers subtly bend, crinkle and wrinkle in juxtaposition with each other, creating apertures that allow visitors to peer through the installation to the other side of the courtyard.

the installation’s material properties expand upon its etherial relationship to its environmental context. reflective properties mirror abstract compositions found on the surrounding building façades, while small circular perforations create shadows and light projections on the ground that enhance the constantly shifting visuals within the courtyard space. additionally, weather conditions dialogue with the installation — raindrops, for example, generate a subtle metallic sound that adds to the reflection and movement of the structure.

the installation seems to weightlessly hover within the courtyard 

‘our proposal searches for an installation that overcomes the object but instead transcends into phenomenon — the cloudscape,’ the studio says. ‘it is an attempt to enrich the structural nature of architecture with a strong sense of physical excitement and ever-changing visual properties. the topics of lightness, weightlessness and soft borders all translate into a floating world.’

two sheets of 2mm thick aluminum undulates within the semi-outdoor space

the two paper-like layers subtly bend, crinkle and wrinkle in juxtaposition with each other

the overlapping sheets create apertures that allow visitors to peer through the installation

the soft curves allow openings from multiple vantage points 

small circular perforations create shadows and light projections

a group of children peer through the space allowed by the two perforated sheets

reflective properties mirror abstract compositions from the surrounding building façades

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