Splay
2019
Detroit Sidewalk Festival
Team: John Vieweg, Ben Van Schaayk
Three canopies sit at the front of the historic Redford Theatre for Detroit’s annual Sidewalk Fest. Each tensile structure is created by the intersection of four aluminet splays, and suspended by a light frame. While each canopy is close to 10 feet tall, they can be disassembled into a minimal series of parts and packed tightly for transportation.
Visitors are invited to relax in an oasis of shimmering materials, amongst bales of shredded denim and (almost) natural flora. By utilizing commercial products in unexpected ways, this design privileges their affective qualities and projects an alternative relationship to our built environment.
