52th Architectural Biennale, Venice – The Exhibition of Canada

Text and photos: Edit Pálinkás

In Venice Canada exhibited yet another spectacular show of a project by Philip Beesley going on for several years now: it is Hylozoic Ground he made in co-operation with the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. Applying methods of experimental architecture, this project reinterprets the phenomena of virgin nature, the concept and quality of wilderness. Its several ten thousands of ultralight, digitally produced constituents – resembling surgical instruments often to the extent that they are mistakable – are connected with microprocessors and touch sensors by the team managed by Beesley to react to the presence of a human being. This kind of responsive environment functions like huge lungs, inhaling and exhaling around visitors. Sensors and form-memory move the forest in waves: thus the overall impression is that of a mythic landscape.