atelier yokyok sculpts sphere land installation out of black schist and granite in portugal

Ninho Globo sphere installation lies in rural Portugal

Ninho Globo is a hand-built spherical structure by Atelier YokYok located in the rural landscape of Salvaterra do Extremo, Portugal. Constructed from locally sourced black schist and granite, the project is positioned within a former agricultural site characterized by dry-stone enclosures and small stone shelters. The work operates at the intersection of landscape, geology, and contemporary art, engaging with the site’s material history and territorial context.

The installation is situated near the eastern border between Portugal and Spain, within a landscape shaped by centuries of human intervention and natural processes. The site overlooks the plateau formed by the Rio Erges and maintains visual connections to both Portuguese and Spanish territories. The surrounding remains of former pig-farming structures, built from granite bases and mortared stone slabs, establish a setting marked by archaeological and cultural significance.

Conceived directly in response to its environment, Ninho Globo adopts the sphere as its primary geometric form. The spherical volume references planetary bodies and mineral formations while representing a structurally efficient and balanced spatial configuration. Measuring approximately five metres in diameter, the structure expresses stability through its mass while remaining accessible and inhabitable.

a landmark bridging local culture and a contemporary low-tech approach | all images courtesy of Atelier YokYok

Atelier YokYok follows a low-tech construction approach

A narrow fissure cuts through the sphere, creating an entry that leads into a hollow interior. This opening recalls erosion patterns shaped by water over time and references the absence and importance of water in the region. The interior space evokes natural cavities and nests, positioning the structure as a form of shelter rather than a closed object. The ambiguity between globe and nest introduces questions of scale, use, and shared responsibility within the landscape.

The material palette reinforces the connection between architectural and geological time. The layered black schist contrasts with the existing granite foundations while drawing from materials traditionally associated with central Portugal. Construction followed a low-tech approach, relying on manual techniques and collective labour. The artists worked alongside members of the local community, using simple tools and processes to assemble the structure in situ.

Ninho Globo was developed by creative studio Atelier YokYok as part of Landscape Together, a project initiated by MAG – Marques de Aguiar and associated with the open-air museum Museu Experimenta Paisagem. The initiative focuses on site-specific works developed through sustainable design principles and community engagement. Co-funded by the European Union’s Creative Europe programme, Landscape Together brought together artists, institutions, and local communities from multiple countries to contribute to cultural, educational, and territorial development initiatives in rural Portugal. Ninho Globo is now part of the permanent collection of Museu Experimenta Paisagem.

Ninho Globo is a monumental black schist sphere in the landscape of rural Portugal

hand-built with the local community, the work invites to a direct & physical encounter

a fissure appears, illustrating both the trace and the absence of water, a precious and vital element

the project questions our relationship with habitat, the common good, and the passage of time

open to the elements, the location offers a panoramic view east towards Spain

the installation conveys a sense of permanence, engaging the visitors’ bodies and senses

the place is a former raising site built from dry stones on a granite base

the sphere is invoked as the quintessential geometric form, evoking an awareness of the planet as a shared place

the experience of visiting the hollowed volume evokes rocky cavities that serve as habitats or nests

the area comprises low stone walls creating a landscape strongly shaped by human intervention & local activity

project info:

name: Ninho Globo | @ninhoglobo
designer: Atelier YokYok | @atelieryokyok

location: Salvaterra-do-Extremo, Portugal
materials: black schist stones, stone & reinforced concrete

dimensions: 5 × 5 × 5 m  

curator: MAG Arquitetura & Experimenta Paisagem Museum

co-fund: European Union

support: Institut Français in Paris

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edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom