vincent leroy’s kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul’s design plaza

slow motion transforms the mirrored spheres into fluid, organic compositions.

Vincent Leroy edited by christina vergopoulou September 5, 2025 3 min

Vincent Leroy’s kinetic sculpture evokes cosmic molecular cloud

Installed in front of Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Molecular Cloud is a kinetic sculpture by French artist Vincent Leroy. The work draws inspiration from cosmic molecular formations, translating them into a floating, cloud-like structure suspended within the urban setting. The piece is part of DDP Design & Art in Seoul, whose 2025 edition explores the theme of movement.

The installation consists of large mirrored spheres tinted in glossy pink. These elements reflect the surrounding environment, sky, buildings, and passersby, creating a constantly shifting interplay of light and form. Slowly, the spheres move in relation to one another, generating fluid and changing compositions. The motion suggests organic breathing, achieved through a calibrated balance between geometric structure and mechanical precision.

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 1 — all images by Vcollective – Shirley Xie – Titi Lee unless stated otherwise

Moving mirrored pink spheres capture Seoul’s changing light

Positioned against the backdrop of Zaha Hadid’s DDP, Molecular Cloud establishes a dialogue with the building’s flowing, metallic architecture. The contrast between the static structure and the moving sculpture highlights different approaches to material, form, and reflection. Together, they produce an environment where light, shadow, and surface interact in continuous variation.

The project was originally conceived by the artist in Paris and first presented in California at the Coachella Festival in 2023. For its installation in Seoul, it was fabricated in Guangzhou and realized through collaboration with a Hong Kong–based production agency, underlining its international scope. By combining reflective material, kinetic engineering, and spatial placement, Vincent Leroy’s Molecular Cloud explores the intersection of sculpture, architecture, and environment. Its slow movements invite observation and pause within the pace of the city, encouraging an experience of space defined as much by stillness as by motion.

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 2 — Vincent Leroy’s kinetic sculpture evokes cosmic molecular formations

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 3 — glossy pink mirrored spheres form the floating cloud-like structure

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 4 — the installation reflects sky, city, and passersby in shifting patterns

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 5 — Molecular Cloud’s poles mirror the building’s traffic people axes

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 6 — spheres hover lightly against Zaha Hadid’s metallic architecture | image by Seoul_4K

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 7 — movement suggests a rhythmic breathing within the urban setting

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 8 — Molecular Cloud explores stillness, movement, and spatial perception

vincent leroy's kinetic cloud sculpture of glossy pink spheres hovers at seoul's design plaza - 9 — slow motion transforms the spheres into fluid, organic compositions

vincent-leroy-kinetic-molecular-cloud-pink-spheres-seoul-ddp-designboom-1800-1 — Molecular Cloud installed in front of Seoul’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza

project info:

name: Molecular Cloud

designer: Vincent Leroy | @vincent_leroy_studio

location: Seoul, Korea

host: DDP Design & Art in Seoul | @ddp_seoul

curator: Minsoo Kim – Seoul Design Foundation | @seoul_design_foundation

production: Vcollective – Shirley Xie | @vcollective_ltd

exhibition agency: DesignNuha

photography and video: Vcollective – Shirley Xie – Titi Lee | @vcollective_ltd

photography number 6: Seoul_4K | @Seoul_4K

music video: Emile Kôji | @emile.koji

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.