talmon biran architecture composes immersive, interactive zen garden in quebec

talmon biran architecture composes immersive, interactive zen garden in quebec
(above) image by louise tanguary / all images courtesy of talmon biran architecture studio

at the international garden festival in quebec, canada, tel aviv-based studio talmon biran architecture have realized ‘around-about’ — a ‘dry landscape’ installation informed by the concept of japanese zen gardens. within a large landscape of grey-hued gravel, three large roundabouts are placed. these tools — whose design references agricultural machinery — include tines bellow their bottom beams, which rake the gravel in circular patterns as they spin. activated by the audience, the composition of the garden is constantly rearranged by the various moving parts, offering participants an unfamiliar experience inside a zen garden, rather than from the outside.

a collection of large roundabouts are placed inside a field of gravel
image by martin bond

‘around-about’ acts at the intersection between order and disorder, where the entire garden works both in harmony and in precise proportion to itself and its surrounding environment. as visitors walk away from the site, their footsteps interrupt the orderly pattern of the gravel; once they return to the installation and spin the roundabouts, the garden returns to its original tranquil state.

activated by the visitors, the composition is experienced from the inside
image by martin bond

participants interact with the metal tools, spinning them across the surface of the gravel
image by martin bond

the three roundabouts are spun at different paces
image by martin bond

visitors experience a zen garden from the inside
image by louise tanguary

large rotating wheels include tines bellow their bottom beams, which rake the gravel in circular patterns
image by martin bond

wooden apparatuses can form various compositions in the surface of the gravel
image by louise tanguary

visualization by the architects describing the scope of the project

visitors are meant to both participate and relax alongside the art installation

the architecture studio envisions participation and exploration within the zen garden