blossoms’ unfolding rhythm transforms into a breathing-like kinetic installation

Arc of the wind transforms blossoms into kinetic spatial rhythm

Arc of the Wind is a kinetic installation by topoloy that explores how slow movement can quietly inhabit everyday space. Created for gaga’s flagship store at Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing, the project introduces a gentle temporal layer into a fast-paced dining environment shaped by constant movement, visual stimulation, and short periods of stay. The installation draws from two natural phenomena and holds them in vertical tension: above, the tensile pull of traditional Chinese kites under suspension; below, the gradual unfolding of blossoms over time.

Rather than translating these references into literal forms, topoloy extracted their structural logic, tension, opening, lightness, and gradual transformation, and reorganized them into a dynamic structural system. As the work moves, its form subtly shifts between these two conditions, allowing the upper structure to retain the clarity of a kite-like suspension while the lower body opens with a floral softness. In this way, wind and blossom are not represented as images, but transformed into a continuous spatial rhythm.

overall view of the installation suspended above the dining space | all images by Li Xin

topoloy’s piece proposes a quieter model for kinetic installation

Suspended above the dining area, the work combines mechanical actuation, tensile transmission, programmed rhythm, and integrated lighting to create movement that is slow, light, and sustained. It does not aim for theatrical performance or dramatic spectacle. Instead, through subtle displacement, shifts in brightness, and rhythmic variation, it creates an atmosphere that feels almost like breathing, allowing the installation to accompany the space rather than dominate it.

The work ‘wakes’ at 10 am and gradually comes to rest around 11 pm, following the daily rhythm of the venue and giving the mechanical system a temporality that feels closer to life than to performance. For those dining, pausing, talking, or moving through the space, the installation does not require direct interaction or a fixed way of viewing. It enters the environment as a low-interference, companion-like presence, creating a delicate relationship between structure, time, and perception.

At the level of fabrication, the project continues studio topoloy’s ongoing exploration of dynamic structural systems. The installation is modular in construction, and all joints are mechanically connected without glue, allowing major components to be dismantled, serviced, replaced, and reassembled. CNC machining and 3D printing were used to improve precision and reduce repeated trial and error during fabrication. Rather than treating movement as a short-lived visual effect, Arc of the Wind proposes a quieter model for kinetic installation, one that becomes part of everyday life through long-term spatial presence.

close-up view showing the central structure, integrated lighting, and layered movement

frontal view of the kinetic system, where tensile structure and blossom-like forms unfold vertically

seen across the interior, the installation enters the restaurant as a suspended, companion-like presence

the installation in a quieter state, revealing the balance between suspended tension and unfolding forms

detail of the central mechanical assembly and modular structural connections

detail of the mechanically connected steel cable system and suspended upper structure

detail showing the petal-like panel and its structural fixing system

close-up of the middle structural ring, integrated lighting, and blossom-inspired kinetic panels

project info:

name: Arc of the wind
designer: topoloy

location: Beijing, China

photographer: Li Xin

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: christina vergopoulou | designboom