MEM architects shared with us their proposal for the 360° art installation, the proposal won the 2nd place at the international anonymous d. competition. The installation functions as a 3 dimensional façade for the cooper union building in NY. More details about the project comes from the architect after the jump.
Courtesy of MEM architects
A 360° Art experience. You enter inside the artwork, become a part of it and receive an amplified art experience. ‘360° Art’ questions the way we usually experience art. The picture on the wall becomes a 3D environment that invites the viewer to experience art while standing, sitting or lying down. In addition to the familiar 180° gallery view of artworks, ‘360° Art’ offers the viewer a different, more spatial and intimate viewing. Following, the artist showcasing his work inside the concrete tube has to rethink the way his art is presented while being inspired from the possibilities of the new spatial complexity.
Courtesy of MEM architects
Since the facade is located on the street, it makes the art pieces more accessible and approachable for by-passers. The hollow concrete tubes gives spectators a layered and reframed view of the gallery while still allowing light and air to flow through. The facade can be experienced from both the street and the ‘in between’ space created between the tubes and the gallery entrance. Led lighting is located inside the smallest and shortest tubes creating light focuses perforating into the holes of the adjacent tubes, transforming the heavy concrete structure into a light sculpture at night.
Courtesy of MEM architects
The structural principle of the facade is a pyramid like stack of recycled storm tubes. The installation integrates standard sizes of storm concrete tubes. The structural mechanism is based on the common stack shape used for storing tubes in factories and at side roads. The structural stability of the facade is created by the self-weight of the concrete tubes assemblage. For additional reinforcement the first row of tubes is anchored to the ground.
Ibrahim Abdelhady is an architect, academic, and media entrepreneur with over two decades of experience in architecture and digital publishing. He is the Founder and CEO of Arch2O.com, a leading platform in architectural media, renowned for showcasing innovative projects, student work, and critical discourse in design. Holding dual PhDs in Architecture, Dr. Abdelhady combines academic rigor with industry insight, shaping both future architects and architectural thought. He actively teaches, conducts research, and contributes to the global architecture community through his writing, lectures, and media ventures. His work bridges the gap between practice and academia, pushing the boundaries of how architecture is communicated in the digital age.