AAU Anastas collaborates with sound artist Tomoko Sauvage to install a site-specific glass sculpture at Ruinart’s estate in Reims, France. The immersive installation uses refracted light and subtle sounds to create a unique sensory experience.
A curious glass object stands atop a tall tripod in a clearing among the trees on Ruinart's estate in Reims, France . Resembling an ethereal, translucent hive, the conical structure is a site-specific installation by Palestinian architecture and engineering studio AAU Anastas, created in collaboration with sound artist Tomoko Sauvage.
It is built from 103 hand-crafted blown-glass voussoirs (wedge-shaped elements) that are not only visually striking but also crucial to the sonic qualities of the installation. Their delicate surfaces refract light and enhance sound, amplifying the acoustic experience within the space. \Elevated 1.35m above the ground on steel stilts, the piece invites visitors to step underneath to poke their heads inside as if it were an immersive kaleidoscope. As light refracts through the glass, the surrounding trees appear distorted, their forms wavering like underwater reflections. The air is filled with the subtle, immersive sounds of water-filled bowls and micro air bubbles emitted by chalk stones collected from Ruinart’s deep underground cellar, creating an auditory landscape that feels both otherworldly and serene. \The project was initiated in 2024, when Tomoko Sauvage was commissioned by Ruinart to create a site-specific installation in its garden. As soon as Sauvage received the invitation, she approached AAU Anastas to collaborate. 'We have long been following Tomoko Sauvage's work, particularly her exploration of sound and materials,' explains Elias Anastas, who co-founded the studio alongside his brother, Yousef, in 2011. 'As we started discussing the installation, we quickly realised that we shared a deep sensitivity to the delicacy of working with materials,' Anastas told Wallpaper*. 'Tomoko’s practice focuses on the sonic qualities of materials, using bowls, water, and subtle techniques to compose and record sound. Similarly, our work is rooted in the precision and delicacy of stereotomic principles, where we engage with the sophistication of materials like stone and the techniques that shape them.' \Visitors are invited to stand underneath the bell-shaped structure, positioned at shoulder height, to immerse themselves into a peculiar visual and sonic experience. The collaborators’ shared understanding of materiality and its subtleties became the foundation for the collaboration. For the Anastas brothers, the project builds on Stone Matters – the studio's decade-long research into traditional stone building techniques – but here, stone is switched for glass. Each of the installation's 103 blown-glass voussoirs (divided into 11 typologies) are crafted through an experimental process involving plaster moulds and 3D-printed templates. The resulting thick glass bricks interlock in a way that allows the form to hold together with minimal structural support – much like the ceiling of a project from 2018. The geometry is both intricate and organic, creating an unusual structure that reflects light and interacts with its surroundings. \'Tomoko’s work is about the quiet subtleties of sound – how water, bowls, and composition come together in a gentle way,' explains Anastas. 'For us, it’s the careful precision and finesse of working with stone and stereotomic techniques. In this installation, we brought these sensibilities together, blending stone, glass, and sound in a way that creates a subtle, immersive experience, encouraging a deeper connection with the materials and the space.' 'The flowing forms of the structure, with their sinuous curves and bell-like contours, evoke subtle references to symbols of transformation and purification' found in various traditions, where sound plays a significant role in spiritual renewal, including in Japanese culture. \2024 has been a year of incredible output for AAU Anastas, underpinned by its founders' deep commitment to their homeland in Palestine. From its participation in the with 'Tiamat', a groundbreaking exploration of stone's potential, to 'Carthagisme', a group exhibition in Tunis, it continues to push the boundaries of contemporary architecture and design. At the same time, the duo's focus has also been on advocacy and relief efforts, channelling proceeds from their work into initiatives such as the Revive Gaza’s Farmland project and Médecins Sans Frontières
ARCHITECTURE ART COLLABORATION DESIGN FRANCE GLASS SOUND INSTALLATION PALESTINE
United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Peaky Blinders: Artist creates mural on Digbeth studio wallsDaniel Russell-Ahern's artwork is already attracting international visitors.
Read more »
XPG Precog Studio Headset Review: Bargain Sound with Budget BuildThe XPG Precog Studio headset delivers surprisingly good audio quality for its price point, boasting detailed sound and a powerful bass response. However, its cheap plastic construction and questionable design choices leave much to be desired.
Read more »
Qatar Mediates Release of Israeli Hostage and Palestinian Return to Northern GazaAn agreement brokered by Qatar promises the release of an Israeli civilian hostage and the return of Palestinians to northern Gaza, easing tension in the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. However, the agreement's implementation faces challenges as Palestinians wait impatiently and Israeli forces maintain a presence in Gaza.
Read more »
Hamas to Release More Hostages, Israel to Allow Palestinian Return to Northern GazaIn a significant development following the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Hamas has agreed to release six more hostages this week, including Arbel Yehud, whose freedom was a condition for allowing Palestinians to return to their homes in Northern Gaza. Israel will permit this return starting Monday. The agreement also saw the release of four female IDF soldiers and 200 Palestinian prisoners on Saturday.
Read more »
Struggle for Belonging: A Palestinian Family's Journey in EgyptA Palestinian woman recounts her family's displacement from Gaza to Egypt following the recent conflict. She shares the emotional toll of leaving behind their home, loved ones, and familiar way of life. She highlights the struggles of adapting to a new environment, the challenges of finding employment and education for her children, and the longing to return to Gaza.
Read more »
Israel Releases 200 Palestinian Prisoners in Exchange for Four Captive Female SoldiersA fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas has led to the release of 200 Palestinian prisoners in exchange for four captive female Israeli soldiers. The prisoner exchange is a significant step in the ongoing efforts to de-escalate the conflict in Gaza.
Read more »