Prismatic is a kaleidoscopic experience of light

조지타원 워터프런트공원의 무지개빛 기하학적 설치 조형물

미국 워싱턴 D.C.의 조지타운 워터프런트 국립공원 내에 프리즘으로 형성된 독창적인 설치 조형물이 들어섰다. 프리즈매틱은 9개의 크고 작은 다각형의 집합으로 이루어진 입체 도형으로 빛과 색채, 공간의 만화경적 풍부한 색채 경험을 제공한다. 정해진 대지의 경계선을 따라 자연을 밝히는 신비로운 조형물처럼 프리즈매틱은 흡사 빛의 분산과 굴절을 일으키는 투영체인 삼각, 사각 기둥 형태의 수정 프리즘을 연상케 한다. 날렵한 철근 구조 틀로 엮인 다이내믹한 매스는 정사각형 매스를 9개로 절개하여 절묘하게 분할하고 있다. 철근의 다각형 매스는 내부에 경사지고 교차하는 프레임을 통해 촘촘히 엮여진다.

빛의 관계성을 이어주듯 다양한 매스를 조합한 프리즈매틱의 내부는 무지개빛 다채색 로프를 활용한 면적 구성이 공간의 풍부함으로 자아낸다. 물결무늬를 연출하는 무아래(moire) 동적 효과는 언뜻 보면 단단한 매스로 비춰지지만 선형 요소로 엮어낸 특별한 기하학적 구조체이다. 때론 수직과 수평으로, 경사진 날렵한 선형 조합은 시각적 은율을 북돋아주는 입체적인 면으로 채워지면서 빛의 오묘한 스펙트럼 효과를 연출한다.

전체적인 디자인은 미국의 허우 더 수자(Hou de Sousa)가 맡아 진행했다. 디자이너는 뉴욕 북부의 아트 오마이의 조각공원에서 46ft 트럭을 활용해 전시장으로 옮겨왔다. 기하학적 복잡성과 단순한 재료를 활용한 디테일은 공원을 빛내주는 훌륭한 오브제이자 조형물로 완성도를 높였다. 허우 더 수자는 뉴욕을 기반으로 성장한 건축·예술·디자인 스튜디오로 혁신적이면서 진보적인 환경 솔루션을 선보이며, 현재 아트 조형물과 공공조각, 레스토랑 및 주택 등을 설계한 바 있다.

이정연 기자

Design/Build_ Hou de Sousa

Nancy Hou and Josh de Sousa_ Project Lead, Photos by Hou de Sousa

Prismatic is a kaleidoscopic experience of light, color, and space defined by an aggregation of perspectives. Unique on all sides, the piece encourages the public to explore its exterior, as well as meander through its translucent corridors. Iridescent rope weaves between a lattice of rebar, while the gaps between these cords provides transparency and results in a dynamic visual effect known as a moiré. As visitors turn their gaze or walk about the space, patterns in the background and foreground continuously converge and delaminate, warping visual perception and causing static surfaces to appear in flux.

The design of Prismatic oscillates between the adversarial forces of expansion and limitation. Prisms burst forth from a central point but these projections are halted by the invisible boundaries of a rectangular box. Contextual features such as the Potomac River, a nearby fountain, and an adjacent avenue echo into the box, forming fault lines that shatter the box into nine blocks, which were then subsequently pushed apart in order to create pathways.

Prismatic resembles a solid mass at first glance, but is entirely defined by linear elements(paracord and rebar). As a result, the project occupies a substantial volume relative to its weight while also forming a highly redundant structure. These qualities were advantageous when transporting the project from Brooklyn to Washington DC, and later to its current home at a sculpture park in upstate New York called Art Omi. The entire project was designed to puzzle piece together onto a single 46 ft flatbed truck in order to expedite the delivery process.

Given the constraints, geometric complexity, and labor required to fabricate the project it was necessary to work with simple off-the-shelf materials, but this ultimately proved to be a strength. While many of the design elements are typically considered “taboo”(zip ties, paracord, rebar, and black lights) we were undeterred, as these proved best for their given roles. The grip of the coarse rebar was superior to smooth steel bars, as was fastening with zip ties rather than knots, etc. The key priorities were the overall affect and fully immersing the public in a large-scale experience.

About Hou de Sousa_ Hou de Sousa is a New York City based architecture, art and design studio that promotes innovative, culturally progressive and environmentally responsible solutions. To date, the office has won seven design competitions and been selected as finalists for an additional six. The team has design/built art installations, public spaces, public sculptures, restaurants and private residences both domestically and abroad.

Architects: Hou de Sousa

Location: 1405 Co Rte 22, Ghent, NY 12075, United States

Categories: Installation, Ghent

Built Area: 70sqm

Engineer: Arup(Jordan Woodson)

Project Lead: Nancy Hou and Josh de Sousa

Project Team: Ji Eun Lee, Jiacheng Xu, Julia DiPietro, Nina Patterson

Exhibition: Georgetown GLOW(georgetownGLOWDC.com), Senator Charles H. Percy Plaza, Georgetown Waterfront Park, Washington DC 20007, Dec 1, 2018 – January 17, 2019

Exhibition: Art Omi, Architecture Field 2, Art Omi, Ghent, NY 12075, May 25, 2019 – May 25, 2021