sou fujimoto adds greenery to layered cube installation in paris

sou fujimoto adds greenery to layered cube installation in paris
many small cubes, 2014
steel, anodise aluminum, trees / 800 x 900 x 1000 cm
presented by galerie philippe gravier, paris; with the support of intermonde
light sculptor, patrick rimoux
image © marc domage

marking his first work in paris, japanese architect sou fujimoto has realized a monumental installation as part of the small nomad house series, set with the tuileries gardens. presented for FIAC — an artistic program which sees the creation of both gallery-based and public creative projects — the floating volumes that comprise ‘many small cubes’ create ‘a new experience of space, a rhythm of flickering shadows and lights like the sun filtering through leafy trees’ fujimoto describes. aluminum cubes, attached to one another by only an edge or a corner, seemingly hover in mid-air as they rise above the landscape, forming a visually light and aerial architectural piece.

hundreds of aluminum cubes are attached to one another by only an edge or a corner
image © marc domage

the space is organized around a central void hosting what would be the living area, where surrounding walls and roofs are formed by voids and masses of varying scale. the main entrances are located on the structure’s opposing ends, and sits a top a base reasonably extended outside the footprint, enhancing the blurriness of the limit between outside and inside.

the space is organized around a central void hosting what would be the living area
image © simone bossi

the space itself is not strictly defined, hosting many different areas that offer shelter from the environmental elements. each cube is regarded as a single entity, participating in varying roles — some of them serve as tree-pots for vegetation, introducing greenery into the metallic composition, while others support the structural stability and balance. carefully considering the weight and size of each mass, the resulting architecture forms one unified element yet reaching an organic sense of randomness.

detail of the boxes
image © simone bossi