Client: Louvre Group

Location: Shunde, Guangdong, China

Completion date: 2013

Artwork budget: $800,000

Project Team

Architect

Lars Hypko, Assagai Inc and Alessandro Lo Giudice

Art Consultant

Mary Ta

Minotti Los Angeles

Interior Designer

Lars Hypko

Assagai Inc

Overview

The aim is to introduce to the public the full spectrum of design and creativity where life is filled with not only form and function but rather a deeper understanding in the essence of how great design and quality can give the viewer a unique and memorable emotional experience that enriches all senses and completes the state of being, adding layers of complexity and so also desire to learn and live. Proving essentially that we desire to live in the harmony of quality and beauty. Since Louvre was the first in Shunde to commission design Louvre became the SOURCE.

Goals

As we entered the building we found the entrance space was extremely empty and high. The ceiling became the start of the fall of neutral chairs without any special shape or color. As water is the source of life, so also is the chair a source of design flowing like water. The projection of water falling, through light and image, show us a birth of design and chairs. Just as life is made of DNA and water so the chair design flows down into a controlled tower that moves dynamically towards the floor. The perceived size and motion is accentuated by a change in density and scale. This world is no limit to design and as time passes the design needs to free itself from boundaries and become part of a history of creative products. One can touch the surface of the falling chairs and see that one's image is reflected in the shiny chrome blue surface, each individual person reflecting themselves unique and each with a new understanding and individual desire of what they would like to see in design. The parallels of the evolution of the chair and Louvre’s evolution as a design center is emphasized.

Process

The collaboration was very pleasant and the clients desire for unlimited representation of the creative force was what allowed the final result. We started with the symbolic and then defined the conceptual space. Once we understood what we wanted to achieve we needed to create a self sustaining structurally sound skeleton to hold the chairs in place. We had many meetings to understand the limitations of both material and shape. The cultural exchange also was quite interesting as it involved an in-depth exchange of thoughts and actions.

Additional Information

This is the first part of several installations created for a walk through design.