burning man unveils 2019 temple design referencing japanese architecture

burning man has unveiled the design for the 2019 temple for black rock city — the non-permanent utopia. dubbed the temple of direction, the selected structure has been designed by georgie van der bosch citing an elegant simplicity that will allow the team to build it in only 15 days as the design has been created to minimize the amount of on-playa construction.

‘every year, we explore a spectrum of design submissions from our community’s artists and builders, and we approach our decision with the goal of creating a special physical space on playa for black rock city’s citizens to share their reflections,’ burning man journalcommented katie hazard on the .

all images courtesy of burning man

georgie van der bosch’s temple of direction is a linear space that captures the elegance and austerity of the torii gates at fushimi inari shrine in japan, a place the artist previously inhabited. the linear lines form a passage that expands into a large hall, creating a journey that is both physical and metaphorical. the space responds to the openness of the playa and creates a framework that encourages burner to travel from end to end.

the linear form considers the passage of life with its beginning, middle and end. throughout the structure there are areas that reflect this journey — narrow and wide, bright and dark, and tunnels that create intimate physical settings. in the center, a large hall complete with an altar and many shelves for offerings create a setting for the collective experience.