life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china

life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china

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life-size steel lattice elephant marks ‘i do’ store in china

 

international studio antistatics architecture collaborated with artist yue minjun to complete a new ‘I DO’ retail store in china, defined by its impressive sculptural façade. standing as an eye-catching structure, a life-size steel lattice elephant —with his head popping out on the bustling street— marks the storefront of the building.

 

employing large-scale wax 3D printing and investment casting, the final design shapes a sparse yet organic framework inspired by cellular biology and the atomic structures of the diamond. along with the outstanding structure, undulating white ribbons are wrapped around the openings, inviting passers-by to an inspiring experience.

life-size steel lattice elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
visitors are drawn to the space through the outstanding elephant formation visible throughout the bustling urban environment of central wuhan

all images courtesy of dachou wang

 

 

wrapping in a fluid cave-like structure 

 

the white ribbons on the façade, generate visual continuity to the carved-out interior, enveloping the guests in a smooth fluid cave-like environment. upon entering the store, the back part of the sculpture leads the gazes upwards. spanning nine meters in height, the structure penetrates the floor plate and emerges like a tree on the upper floor.

 

a twisting staircase entices the visitors to climb up, and observe in detail the intricate shape of the sculpture that features two of the artist’s signature works — two figures intimately crouching on each other’s shoulders act as gestures of love and joy. these silhouettes, not to mention ‘the peaceful elephant’, symbolically represent wisdom, strength, and unity at the junction point between architecture, art, and technology.

life-size steel lattice elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
the façade night lighting effect features artist yue minjun’s signature laughing face

 

 

made of robotically milled formwork, the strips embrace the glazing allowing natural daylight to trickle in, and air circulation to run properly. the design team framed the glass displays in the interior with brass geologic formations, to emphasize the contrast with the smooth all-white walls. in fact, in some points, the screens are integrated into the walls, like emerging from the eroded spatial constructs. the furniture follows the same strategy employing geometric formations while using hand-crafted processes for their construction.

 

‘the façade, interiors and detailing of the spaces declare themselves to the world as a new potential for how we might come to understand not the segregation of thoughts and ideas, rather how cross-pollinated ideation and multi-disciplinary collaboration between each other can offer a way forward, celebrating our differences and sharing our common goals of love, happiness and inspiration,’ 

 

life-size steel lattice elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
the ‘I DO’ artist store blends uniquely spatial and sculptural elements to create a highly expressive, embracing, and inspiring experience

life-size steel lattice elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
visitors are drawn to the space through the outstanding elephant formation visible throughout the bustling urban environment of central wuhan

life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
upon closer inspection, the continuation of the figure into the interior entices the observer to investigate further the interior environments, where one is removed from the excitation of the street

life-size-steel-lattice-elephant-retail-store-facade-china-antistatics-designboom-18002

life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china

the detail and precision of the unprecedented sculpture pierces through the floor plate with yue min jun’s signature figures

life-size-steel-lattice-elephant-retail-store-facade-china-antistatics-designboom-1800

life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
lighting color changes through the gaps of the ‘cave surface’

life-size lattice 3D-printed elephant pops out of antistatics' retail store façade in china
within the space, a smooth and fluid cave-like space is carved out of the interiors wrapping the visitors in a continuously fluid environment and drawing people through the floor plan

 

 

 

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'the peaceful elephant' as a representation of a 'peaceful world and mature grain in society'
'the peaceful elephant' as a representation of a 'peaceful world and mature grain in society'
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looking down to the cave-like space with custom-designed and fabricated displays and furniture from the spiral stairs
looking down to the cave-like space with custom-designed and fabricated displays and furniture from the spiral stairs

project info:

 

name: I DO artist store ‘the peaceful elephant’ 

architects: antistatics architecture

design principal: martin miller, mo zheng

collaborated artist: yue min jun

design team: yasser hafizs, theodorius e. d. santoso, christopher beckett, annie liu, demi chang, arthur yang

fabricator: hangzhou dikesheng culture and art co., ltd+ wenzhou zaomeng technology co., ltd

main constructor: yueben shanghai

GRG supplier: E-grow shanghai 

client: I DO (hiersun group)

area: 250 sqm

location: wuhan, china

photography: dachou wang

 

 

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissionsfeature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: christina petridou | designboom

 

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