Mirror-polished lifebuoys highlight climate change
Client
Aarhus School of Architecture
Project
"New Ark" passage at Godsbanen Aarhus, Denmark
Design
Architects Simon Strøyer, Tideland Studio, Rasmus Romme Brick Maabjerg, Rumgehør Studio and artist Ajarose Stinee Solvild.
Photo
Niels Rysz Olsen
Three mirror-polished lifebuoys, handcrafted in stainless steel, illustrate the potential rise in water levels caused by climate change. The project, titled New Ark, serves as a functional decoration in the passageway behind Aarhus School of Architecture, which now functions as a seating area for guests and residents of the neighbourhood.
The oversized rings, measuring approximately two metres in diameter, are surrounded by more than 100 unique concrete tiles that simulate the ripples in the rising water as rainwater settles in the reliefs.
The impressive architectural artwork has won the City Architect’s Special Award at the Aarhus Architecture Awards.
With an advanced artistic foundation, detailed technical drawings were required for the accurate production of the mirror-polished lifebuoys.
The practical use of the rings also required extensive product maturation to ensure their durability when used as seating furniture. It also involved a thorough optimisation of material utilisation to achieve the perfect balance between cost, material waste and expected load.
