The science in the art of architecture!

By Beverly Pereira

Photography: Courtesy Marc Fornes/ THEVERYMANY

Read Time: 2 mins

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THEVERYMANY art and architecture studio gives Mississauga an installation that is both, inspired by the region’s pine trees, and otherworldly in the emotion that it generates…

 

Standing tall at the entrance of Central Mississauga’s Riverwood Conservancy, the glistening Pine Sanctuary installation mimics the pine trees of the natural landscape at first glance. Although it serves as a place-marker of geographical relevance, the fantastical piece of public art holds a lot more weight at a scale between sculpture and architecture. 

Real-world comparisons are subjective, feels architect Marc Fornes of the New York-based THEVERYMANY. Depending on the person and time of viewing, the piece may appear to mimic a flower, petals or even a spanning web. The studio specializes in the intersection of unique spatial experience and structural performance; and furthers its on-going experiment with ultra-thin aluminium with this interactive piece of public art. 

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With no base, the lofty arboreal structure of 26’ (H) x 20’ (W) x 20’ (D) is based on a system of branches - light, sturdy legs - that stem from an upper central point. Its unique geometry finds form in the aggregation of fluid “macro shingles”, or pockets of space, which metamorphose into branches that kiss the ground, forming a shady grove of sorts. 

Employing the studio’s own building system called Structural Stripes, the installation’s surface is made up of 3161 custom-designed and digitally fabricated parts laser-cut from thin-gauge aluminum sheets. Further, using the form-finding process of bending-active, the 2mm-thick aluminum stripes are bent into place to create a hybrid structure, while also connecting to a thin black spine made from folded plates. 

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Laminated in multiple directions, each component piece - from linear stripes to arching components - takes on a unique curvilinear form. The double-layered skin reflects a dynamic colouration across the entire system. A moiré of colours in a stepped gradient of aqua, chartreus and cyan, coupled with white, black and other shades of blue and green create a rippling effect. 

A sense of curiosity is provoked, whether one circles the structure or discovers it from within. The facade never appears the same from various vantage points and angles, while speckled light and shadows engage in a playful dance, facilitating a meditative, almost mystical experience under the shade of this ‘artificial’ Pine Sanctuary. 

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Fact File:

Title: Pine Sanctuary

Commissioned by: City of Mississauga, Public Art Collection

Design/Build by: MARC FORNES / THEVERYMANY

Engineering by: LaufsED

Dimensions: 26’ H x 20’ W x 20’ D

Parts: 3,161 “Structural Stripes” in 2mm aluminum

Location: Mississauga, ON, Canada