'ukigumo - floating clouds' by mono at the 5th festival of lively architecture in montpellier, france
all images courtesy of mono


'ukigumo - floating clouds' is an art installation by japanese architects fumiaki nagashima
and mami maruoka nagashima of mono for the 5th festival of lively architecture in
montpellier, france. the event called for 11 teams from all around the globe to transform
the old town in to a gallery by creating art pieces for 11 courtyard.

mono's project is developed around the theme of 'japanese independent space sense',
which consciously contrasts the western european exhibition site with ukigumo's japanese
sense of space. the clusters of spindly fiber-glass pipes stand out against the stone columns
of the courtyard, while the 'floating cloud' element of the draped mesh net, balloons
and non woven fabric allows the two different worlds to exist on one stage. the floating clouds
also serve as a device of connection, a visual motif that has been traditionally used in japanese
medieval paintings to tie two different scenes together.



'ukigumo' in the courtyard of hotel griffy






fiber-glass pipe columns






clear balloons on polyethylene mesh net



'sasa' lanterns



materiality