‘field’ for the men’s spring/summer 2012 collection by OMA / AMO at the prada fondazione, milan © OMA; image by agostino osio
italian fashion house, prada’s men’s spring/summer 2012 collection presentation transpired within a runway framework designed by OMA/AMO. an ordered grid of 600 blue foam blocks arranged in a 1.5m by 1.5m grid permeated the prada fashion show space in milan. the blocks intended for audience seating also doubled as edges for the varied catwalk paths, inevitably integrating individuals into the show. models filtered between the seats in highly choreographed catwalk patterns, turning along the grid in divergent directions.
catwalks integrated into audience seating © OMA; image by agostino osio
the rhythmic rows of seating situated within the confines of the vast historic building creates an unexpectedly sculptural effect. artificial grass contrasts against the blue blocks, evoking imagery of an outdoor picnic. the building’s rustic and monochromatic concrete walls amplify the saturation of the colorful installation. sixteen parabolic aluminized reflector light panels located around the perimeter of the grid provide lighting for the runway.
audience seating and camera platforms © OMA; image by agostino osio
perimeter and light panels © OMA; image by agostino osio
entrance © OMA; image by agostino osio
entrance to event space © OMA; image by agostino osio
runway meandering through the audience © OMA; image by agostino osio
finale image courtesy of prada
runway finale image courtesy of prada
video footage of the runway show
OMA / REM KOOLHAAS (274)
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more commentsWow!!! … a graveyard! …
The living wear Prada, the dead – just watching.
If this was the point, the clothes would perfectly fit in.
Well, the ghosts don’t feel pain in their backs or necks. Lucky bastirds š
don’t know anything about fashion,
But to me it looks really awesome, with the colours, grid and building. Also the music is great!
we miss the the brief by OMA in this post:
The audience is organized in a perfect field. 600 visitors sit on individual blue foam blocks distributed over a 1.5 x 1.5 meter grid spread through the entire hall. Models flow through the highly-organized audience, following multiple choreographed routes that allow maximum visibility.
The field is a commentary on the audience, transformed from indeterminate crowd to regimented, possibly anxious, isolated individuals. Each guest becomes a challenge for the new fashion; each confrontation becomes highly personalā¦
The field is based on a zero degree approach: a spatial system as opposed to an elaborated design…
Artificial grass covers the floor. Light is provided by 16 panels of 30 PAR lights each, vaguely resembling stadium lighting systems.
The set up refers to the imagery of a geometric outdoors; the audience participates in a perfectly organized picnicā¦
Wow. This absolutely amazing. I have unfortunately not so much knowledge about OMA’s previous usage of the blue foam boxes, but to see this radical approach to a catwalk made me breathless, once, as every time I see a new OMA project I was “Wow, Rem has done it again!”. void’s comment also made me realize one of the further genial aspects of this fantastic project, simple, and brilliant. Fragmenting the audience into the grid is one of those extremely simple gestures that improve the spatial experience and question our traditional perspective of how an audience should be. I simply love it, and I hope that no one but OMA had thought of it before, otherwise it’s an epic fail.