moradavaga’s sunwheel installation for são joão festivities in porto
implanted inside porto, portugal's álvaro siza fountain, the piece measures eight meters in diameter, and features hundreds of small golden plates.
moradavaga’s sunwheel installation for são joão festivities in porto
portuguese-italian studio moradavaga, on invitation from porto lazer, were given the opportunity to develop an installation for the city’s annual são joão festivities. the work, ‘sunwheel’, draws connections between traditional water mill wheels and pagan rituals of the summer solstice — the latter from which the christian patron festival is derived.
‘sunwheel’ is a site-specific interactive installation designed by moradavaga
all images © moradavaga
implanted inside porto, portugal’s álvaro siza fountain, the piece measures eight meters in diameter, and features hundreds of small golden plates. each capable of independent movement, wind and light variations, as well as the speed of rotation — users can rotate the work — produce a diverse range of visual effects throughout the day and night. the changing nature of ‘sunwheel’ extends to the water below, creating a spontaneous combination of reflecting surfaces.
video courtesy of moradavaga
hundreds of golden moving plates produce diverse lighting effects throughout the day and night
‘sunwheel’ is supported by a rotating iron base
varying reflections and movements reflecting on the water
the piece draws from traditional water mill wheels, and is linked to pagan rituals of the summer solstice
random reflections
looking up at the golden panels
the ‘sun’ is rotatable by users
installation detail
‘sunwheel’ by moradavaga
the installation implanted porto’s main avenue fountain
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: nick brink | designboom
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