venice architecture biennale 2008: enric ruiz-geli of cloud 9

for the venice architecture biennale, enric ruiz-geli of cloud 9, presented an installation which brings together projects working between science and fiction. the mission of the exhibition pieces is to find a balance of energy between the two. the work discusses performative architecture which is often undecided and undetermined, and focuses on the actual making of a building. the results are structures which have added value that bring nature and technology to the built environment, and are complimented by architectural patents. one of the major works on show was the ‘thirst pavilion’ which ruiz-geli presented at the international expo, ‘water and sustainable development’ this year.

‘thirst pavilioin’ by enric ruiz-geli of cloud 9

the exterior of the structure looks much like a large bubble with mirrors on its façade. the pavilion looks at the phenomenon of the crystallization of salt, in combination with the dynamics of wind, transforming the cloud into a salt igloo with a mutable skin. the transparent bubbles are meant to represent water on top of the salt mountain. the structure is screwed and knotted together so that it can be easily taken apart, moved or recycled. see more images of the spanish pavilion at the expo zaragoza in june 2008 here

an up close look of the bubbles which cover the thirst pavilion’s exterior

on display are the projects from l-r: ‘energy attack’, ‘dur’, ‘aibo’ and ‘thirst pavilion’
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structural elements of the ‘thirst pavilion’
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video stills of the mechanics of the ‘thirst pavilion’ and a frame from the pavilion’s actual construction, below

model view of the new york aquarium by enric ruiz-geli
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another project was a winning design for the expansion of the new york aquarium on coney island. he has created a web-like structure over the entire aquarium which is a metaphor for a larger-than-life fishing net and speaks to the activities which go on in the aquarium’s pavilions housed below. LED lights are embedded into the cover’s fabric which is a reference to the lights which illuminated the island, during its better carnival days.

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cellulose pads lie atop the aquarium
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image © designboom

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model of ‘energy attack’ by enric ruiz-geli
image © designboom

another model on display was ‘energy attack’ designed according to requests by the spanish ministry of culture. the structure has long grass-like pieces which dance to the north of the building’s façade.