clap studio builds a geometric installation in memory of minsk's destroyed buildings

‘mist’ is an installation designed by clap studio for minsk design week 2019. the project takes inspiration from the city itself and the sobering fact that 80% of the architecture in the belarus capital was destroyed during the second world war. envisioned by the team as a white, geometric volume, the intervention intends to serve as both a memorial to the victims and buildings lost, and a space where people can gather and find peace. 

mist is an installation designed by clap for the city of minsk 

all images © alexandra kononchenko

realized for the occasion of minsk design week 2019 under the theme of ‘popularization’, the installation was created by clap in collaboration with wei lesley and built by local volunteers. the guiding concept behind the project was to bring a taboo subject back into the consciousness of the city in a simple and understandable way.

the memorial installation is designed as a place where people can gather, relax and find peace

the design studio began from a geometric volume that represents, in a conceptual way, the mass of a building. they then imagined bombs falling on it, destroying it and generating new openings within the volume. these cavities result ingeniously in an entrance and a viewpoint on the top. the destruction therefore gives way to function, creating grandstands, stairs and seats. from inside, life makes its way in the form of a tree, exceeding the height of the installation itself. in essence, mist is the foggy but latent memory of all those buildings that were destroyed during the war and could not be inhabited again.

the installation was created by clap in collaboration with wei lesley and built by local volunteers

video edit by pedro jareño

the design studio began from a geometric volume that represents, in a conceptual way, the mass of a building

imagined destruction gives way to function, generating grandstands, stairs and seats

these new openings result ingeniously in an entrance and a viewpoint on the top

a tree grows from inside the installation, representing life itself

the installation is open to the elements, like destroyed buildings

the design affords sitting or lying down

visitors are encouraged to interact with the space

the installation is inspired by the history of the city

a view of the entire installation during minsk design week 2019

project info:

project name: mist

location: minsk, belarus

design: clap studio

client: minsk design week 2019

collaborator: wei lesley yang

photography: alexandra kononchenko

video edit: pedro jareño

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom