- 2 years ago
15 Amazing Temporary Structures
Category
🛠️
LifestyleTranscript
00:00Hey everyone, today we're counting down the 15 most amazing temporary structures.
00:05These things are designed for events, exhibitions, or cultural gatherings, and they demonstrate
00:10the potential of temporary architecture to leave a lasting impact.
00:13Let's start with number 15, the Cardboard Cathedral, Christchurch, New Zealand.
00:19The Cardboard Cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand is a wonderful example of a structure
00:22that was built in response to a natural disaster.
00:25It was designed by the Japanese architect Shigeru Ban, and it was completed in a little
00:29over a year after work had begun as a temporary replacement for the iconic Christchurch Cathedral,
00:35which was severely damaged during a series of devastating earthquakes that struck the
00:38city in 2010 and 2011.
00:40Shigeru is renowned for his work with unconventional materials, particularly cardboard, which he
00:45uses because of its low cost, accessibility, and surprising strength.
00:50The cathedral, officially called the Transitional Cathedral, is mainly made from 86 giant cardboard,
00:55tubes, each of which is 1,100 pounds in weight and coated with waterproof polyurethane and
01:01flame retardants.
01:02As well as being innovative for the construction, the structure is undeniably kind of stunning.
01:08The roof, which is translucent and peaked, allows natural light to flood into the interior,
01:12creating a serene, open space inside.
01:15It's located on Latimer Square, close to the center of the city, and this cardboard cathedral
01:19has quickly become a landmark in Christchurch, and it was first opened as a city rebuilt
01:24after a disaster.
01:25It serves as a functional church with a capacity to seat around 700 people, and now hosts not
01:30only religious services, but also concerts, exhibitions, and civic events, playing a vital
01:35part in the community it serves.
01:3814.
01:39THE ICE HOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, is
01:45a fascinating example of transient architecture that combines artistry and sustainability.
01:52It's located about 11 miles from the town of Kiruna in the Arctic Circle.
01:56This unique hotel is rebuilt each year from snow and ice sourced from the nearby Torn
02:00River.
02:01Since its creation in 1989, the Ice Hotel has become a popular destination for tourists
02:06from around the world, but also a one-of-a-kind canvas for artists and designers.
02:11Every year as winter approaches, a completely new design is drawn up and construction begins.
02:17The water from the river is perfect for the hotel because it's both strong and crystal
02:21clear, which provides a beautiful material that's ideal for sculpting.
02:25Each room and suite is uniquely designed by different artists who apply their creative
02:29talents to turn these spaces into stunning art installations that are functional and
02:33immersive.
02:34The interior temperature of the hotel remains below freezing point at around 23 degrees
02:39Fahrenheit or about negative 5 degrees Celsius, no matter how cold it is outside.
02:44Guests are provided with thermal sleeping bags and guidance on how to dress and prepare
02:48for the night, so despite the conditions, the experience is described as magical, especially
02:53with the chance of seeing the northern lights, which is common in this region.
02:57Along with its 50 rooms, the hotel features a bar, a church, and a main hall all sculpted
03:02from ice.
03:03The ice bar serves drinks and glasses made entirely of ice, while the church hosts weddings
03:07and ceremonies providing a fairytale setting.
03:10At the end of the winter season, when spring comes around, the hotel begins to melt back
03:14into the river, and within a few weeks, all trace of it is gone.
03:1813.
03:19The Bruges Whale, Belgium The Bruges Whale, also known as Skyscraper,
03:25is a striking, large-scale sculpture that was built next to the canals of Bruges in
03:29Belgium as part of the 2018 Bruges Triennial.
03:33The installation was created by the New York-based design and architecture firm Studio KCA, led
03:38by Jason Klimoski and Leslie Chang, as both an eye-catching piece of public art and a
03:43statement on environmental conservation.
03:45It was created from five tons of plastic waste that had been collected from the Pacific and
03:49the Atlantic Oceans.
03:51This whale is an enormous 38 feet tall and simulates a blue whale leaping out of the
03:55water.
03:56The plastic materials used to construct this whale were collected from the coastlines of
04:00Hawaii, New York, and various other sites to show how widespread the problem of plastic
04:05pollution is in the oceans.
04:07By using actual waste, the artist gave the sculpture a true connection with its purpose,
04:12turning what are usually boring statistics about pollution into a visible and emotive
04:17structure.
04:18Installed for a time at the Spiegelreihe, which is one of the oldest harbors in Bruges,
04:22the placement was purposeful to reflect on the city's history as a medieval port and
04:26its relationship with the sea.
04:28With an estimated 150 million tons of plastic floating around in the oceans, which is more
04:32than the total mass of whales that live in the water of the planet, the sculpture represents
04:37just the tip of the plastic iceberg, but it certainly is a clever way of highlighting
04:41the issue.
04:4312.
04:44The London Mastaba, United Kingdom The London Mastaba was a huge floating sculpture
04:50by the artist Christo, who was well known for his ambitious and large-scale temporary
04:54artworks.
04:55This particular installation was his first major public outdoor work in the UK, and it
05:00was displayed on the Serpentine Lake in London's Hyde Park during the summer of 2018.
05:05The project was a temporary installation, and it was only there between June to September
05:09of that year.
05:10The sculpture took the form of a mastaba, which is a type of ancient Egyptian tomb that
05:15has a distinctive flat-roofed shape with sloping sides.
05:19This adaptation was colorful, imposing, it was a structure made from 7,500 horizontally
05:24stacked barrels on a floating platform, and it measured over 66 feet high, 98 feet wide,
05:30and 131 feet long.
05:33The barrels were painted in bright red, white, blue, and mauve, creating a bold contrast
05:37against the tranquil backdrop of the park and lake.
05:40The choice of barrels was significant in the artist's work, as he'd previously used them
05:44in several installations.
05:46It was part of a larger project of building similar structures around the world, which
05:50included plans for a much larger one in the desert of Abu Dhabi, proposed to be the largest
05:54sculpture on the planet if it were ever to be completed.
05:58So as well as being a statement piece in its own right, the London Mastaba was a powerful
06:02promotional tool to bring visitors in.
06:05Despite only being there for a few months, it proved to be extremely popular, and significantly
06:09upped the profile of the artist in the UK and beyond.
06:1411.
06:15The Seed Cathedral, Shanghai Expo, China The Seed Cathedral was the UK pavilion at
06:20the 2010 Shanghai Expo in China, and soon it became one of the most memorable structures
06:25at the event.
06:26It was designed by a British engineer, Thomas Heatherwick.
06:29The pavilion represented a huge architectural feat, and it was one of the most visited and
06:34celebrated attractions.
06:36The theme of the exposition was Better City, Better Life, with the aim of encouraging discussions
06:41about sustainable urban living, a brief that the Seed Cathedral achieved majestically with
06:46a message about biodiversity and conservation.
06:49Standing at almost 66 feet tall, or about 20 meters, the Seed Cathedral was a cubic
06:53structure made up of 60,000 thin, transparent acrylic rods, each extending from the surface
06:59of the building.
07:00Each rod had one or several seeds encased at its tip, which had been provided by the
07:04Millennium Seed Bank at the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew.
07:08This unique element was included to highlight the importance of seeds to global biodiversity.
07:14This all gave the Seed Cathedral an ethereal presence that would continually change with
07:18the natural light.
07:20Things would then step up a gear at nighttime, when the light sources inside each rod transformed
07:25the structure into a beaming beacon.
07:27This amazing visual effect made it stand out above all the others on display, and it
07:31was described as being a metaphor for the potential of life and growth encapsulated
07:36in the seeds that were a fundamental part of the exhibit.
07:39While it was dismantled following the expo, the Seed Cathedral's message and impact continue
07:44to spread.
07:45It received a number of awards for its design, and it was celebrated globally.
07:4910.
07:50Makoko Floating School, Lagos, Nigeria The Makoko Floating School was designed by
07:56architect Kunlele Adyemi and his firm NLE as a way to address the needs of the water-logged
08:02Makoko community, which is largely built on stilts above a lagoon, as part of Lagos in
08:07Nigeria.
08:08Makoko, which is often referred to as the Venice of Africa, is a densely populated place
08:13with very limited access to land-based infrastructure.
08:16The floating school here offers a sustainable and adaptable solution that could cope with
08:21environmental challenges of rising water levels.
08:24Founded in 2013, it was a triangular, three-story A-frame structure that was built on a floating
08:29platform of 256 recycled plastic barrels.
08:33The structure was almost 33 feet high and provided almost 2,300 square feet of space
08:37across three levels.
08:39The lower level was used as an open play area and a community space at other times, while
08:43the two upper levels were being dedicated to classrooms and workshops.
08:47The innovative design of this floating school allowed it to adapt to the rising and falling
08:52tides of the lagoon, making it pretty resilient to flooding.
08:55It was, though, never seen as a permanent building, and it began to face structural
08:58issues before collapsing in 2016 during a heavy storm.
09:02Luckily, these issues had already been noticed and there was no one in the school at the
09:05time, and despite this setback, the project had already gained international acclaim.
09:10Following the collapse, the lessons learned from the Makoko Floating School inspired the
09:14development of the Floating System, which is a scalable building prototype designed
09:18for broader uses in the other water-affected regions.
09:22This idea has continued to drive interest in sustainable architecture and urban planning
09:26solutions tailored to the unique challenges of specific communities.
09:309.
09:32The Floating Flower Garden, Tokyo, Japan We're back in Tokyo for the Floating Flower
09:37Garden in Tokyo.
09:39It's an immersive installation that combines nature, technology, and art in a display of
09:44interactive beauty.
09:46Designed by Team Lab, a group of technologists and artists known for their approaches to
09:50digital art, this installation is in the Mirai-kan Museum in Tokyo.
09:55It consists of thousands of living flowers that hang from the ceiling, creating a dense
09:59and lush overhead canopy.
10:02Visitors who enter the exhibit find themselves surrounded by flowers that rise and fall,
10:06adding motion to an otherwise static environment.
10:09The flowers are suspended at various heights, and each one is attached to a motorized string
10:13that can adjust its position in response to the movements of people walking through
10:16the space.
10:18As visitors move through the Floating Flower Garden, sensors detect their presence, prompting
10:22the flowers to move above them, creating a small, domed area of empty space around the
10:28visitor.
10:29This interactivity allows each visitor to have a personalized experience, and it makes
10:33it feel as if the entire field of flower gently sways and moves as if it were breathing.
10:38This creates a surreal, dreamlike sensation that blurs the boundaries between the natural
10:42world and technology.
10:44Aiming to explore themes of connectivity and coexistence between humans and nature, the
10:49idea of making flowers respond to human movement, says TeamLab, suggests a symbiotic relationship,
10:55where nature responds directly to human presence.
10:58This fascinating installation is temporary by its very nature, with plants often being
11:02replaced and the entire thing as regularly being closed to be fully redesigned.
11:07It won't be there forever, either, as the plan is to remove it entirely and use the
11:11space for a completely different installation in the future.
11:158.
11:16Palace of Fine Arts, San Francisco, United States
11:19The Palace of Fine Arts in San Francisco, California is a stunning structure that was
11:23originally built for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition.
11:28It was created to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal and showcase San Francisco's
11:32recovery from the devastating 1906 earthquake.
11:36It was designed by architect Bernard Maybeck and remains one of the only buildings at the
11:40exposition that remains on site today.
11:43It's seen as an exquisite example of Greco-Roman architecture infused with flair.
11:48The structure has a massive rotunda surrounded by colonnades and it's set alongside a lagoon
11:53that adds to its sense of majesty.
11:55The rotunda is topped by a dome styled after Roman and Greek architecture, under which
12:00sits a sculpture of weeping women.
12:02The Palace of Fine Arts was purposefully designed to give a sense of awe and wonder, with columns
12:07and detailed motifs that create reflected light and shadow in a way that changes with
12:11the day.
12:12It was though originally only meant to be there for a short period, so when it was constructed,
12:16builders used temporary materials.
12:19By the 1960s, however, the palace was so popular with locals that a project began to rebuild
12:23it to the original designs with permanent weather-resistant materials.
12:28Today it's a popular tourist destination and a central part of the city's cultural life,
12:32hosting art exhibitions, performances, and community events.
12:36This theater is a hub for local performances, meaning it's had far more of an impact on
12:39the city than anyone could have imagined when they first came up with the idea.
12:44Moving on to number 7, The Floating Piers, Lake Iseo, Italy.
12:48The Floating Piers was another incredible temporary art installation by the artist Christo,
12:53which made waves around the world during its 16-day exhibition on June 2016 on Lake Iseo.
12:59This hugely ambitious project allowed visitors to walk on water, experiencing the landscape
13:04in a lake in a way it had never been before possible.
13:07Christo's vision was to create a walkway that would extend across the water, connecting
13:11the mainland to the island of Monte Isola, placing the viewer in the middle of the serene
13:16beauty of the lake and surrounding mountains.
13:19The installation was built with a modular floating dock system that was made up of 226,000
13:24high-density polyethylene cubes that had been covered in around 750,000 square feet of shimmering
13:30yellow fabric.
13:31The pathway, which was approximately 1.8 miles long and about 52 feet wide, bobbed up and
13:36down with the movement of the water, creating a unique interaction between the visitors
13:40and natural environment.
13:42What made The Floating Piers really unique was its accessibility.
13:46It was completely free for the public to visit, and in just 16 days, over 1.2 million people
13:51visited it, meaning around 72,000 people per day were walking, sitting, and lying on the
13:56fabric, which changed color from a bright sunny yellow to a shimmering gold as the sunlight
14:01shifted.
14:02The project was a feat of not only artistic vision, but also engineering.
14:06To hold it in place, 220 six-ton anchors were set into the lakebed, and it's believed to
14:11have cost it around $17 million to build, $100,000 of which was used to create the traffic
14:16planning document alone.
14:18Well, after nearly taking two years of planning and three months of assembly, it was impressively
14:23funded by Christo through the sale of his original works, sketches, and preparatory
14:27drawings for the project.
14:29When the installation was dismantled, all of the components were recycled, ensuring
14:32it was as sustainable as possible, and while no remnants of the project remain today, it
14:37certainly made memories that will last a lifetime.
14:406.
14:42The M Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia The M Pavilion in Melbourne, Australia, is
14:47an event that's hosted each year in the Queen Victoria Gardens, directly opposite the Arts
14:51Centre, Melbourne, and the National Gallery of Victoria.
14:54Launched in 2014, the project invites new architects each year to design a temporary
14:58pavilion that becomes the focus of a four-month program of cultural events.
15:03Each M Pavilion is envisioned as a space for stimulation and discussion around architectural
15:08practices and the role of design in modern society.
15:12Over the years, it's attracted world-renowned architects to design each version of the pavilion,
15:16including people like Rem Koolhaas and David Giannatan of OMA.
15:20All the architects bring their unique styles and perspectives, making each year's pavilion
15:24distinctly different from the last.
15:27The structure typically opens in October and runs until February, which are the spring
15:30and summer seasons in Melbourne.
15:33Throughout this time, a series of events, talks, performances, and other installations
15:37are arranged all in line with the theme of the pavilion, which helps increase the community
15:41engagement.
15:42In 2017, for example, the pavilion designed by Rem Koolhaas and David Giannatan of OMA
15:47was particularly interesting because of its amphitheater-style layout and pivoting tribune,
15:52which created a space for public use and interaction.
15:55The design encouraged visitors to engage actively with it, and it was this visitor participation
16:00that was central for the idea of the M Pavilion.
16:04After each season, the pavilion is moved to another location within Melbourne, contributing
16:08to the city's cultural infrastructure.
16:10Something that extends the life of each structure and it makes a part of the community in a
16:14meaningful way, helping to further enhance public spaces.
16:175.
16:19The People's Pavilion, Kochi, India The People's Pavilion in Kochi, India is
16:24an example of community-centric and sustainable architecture.
16:29Introduced in the 2016 edition of the Biennale, which is the largest exhibition of contemporary
16:33art in South Asia, the People's Pavilion has become a symbol of local participation and
16:38artistic expression.
16:40The Kochi Musairis Biennale, which began in 2012, serves as a platform for international
16:45contemporary art.
16:47The People's Pavilion has become a vital part of this showcase, designed to be an open,
16:51interactive space where learning and expression can be displayed.
16:55The concept of the People's Pavilion focuses on the idea of art for everyone and is intentionally
17:00located in public spaces to maximize its accessibility.
17:04Unlike the more traditional gallery settings elsewhere, the Pavilion encourages spontaneous
17:08interaction, making art and cultural displays accessible to a wider demographic.
17:13Built to a completely different design for each event, the construction of the Pavilion
17:17usually involves sustainable practices, in line with the Biennale's commitment to environmental
17:22consciousness.
17:23For example, the materials used are normally sourced locally, such as reclaimed wood, recycled
17:27materials, natural fibers, which not only reduce the environmental footprint but support
17:32local economies and craftspeople.
17:34The architectural style blends modern design with traditional techniques.
17:38Programming at the People's Pavilion is purposefully varied, with workshops, performances, talks
17:43and community meetings, all with the intent of encouraging a sense of community.
17:47The events are designed for participation from local residents and visitors, which enable
17:51an exchange of ideas and cultural values.
17:54One of the best outcomes is the concept of the People's Pavilion means that it acts
17:58as a living classroom for students and young artists, providing them with the opportunity
18:02to engage directly with established artists and thinkers, hopefully inspiring and nurturing
18:08the next generation of artists who may one day display there themselves.
18:134.
18:14The Big Air Package, Oberhausen, Germany Big Air Package is another hugely ambitious
18:20art installation by the artist Christo, which was unveiled in 2013 at the Gasmeter Oberhausen
18:26in Germany, which is a former gas storage facility that has been transformed into an
18:30exhibition space.
18:32The work, which was the artist's largest indoor sculpture to that point, captured the
18:36essence of his fascination with enclosing space and playing with the perceptions of
18:40the viewers.
18:42The installation stood at an enormous height of 295 feet or 90 meters and a diameter of
18:47164 feet or 50 meters, filling much of the interior of the giant gasometer.
18:53Big Air Package was created using just under 220,000 square feet of translucent fabric
18:58and 14,000 feet of rope.
19:01The sheer scale of the piece was extraordinary, creating an air-filled dome that visitors
19:05could enter to experience an environment completely defined by fabric and light.
19:10The air pressure inside the package was slightly higher than the outside atmosphere, which
19:14further gave an unusual sensory experience as the air supported the weight of the mastic
19:19fabric.
19:20This subtle air pressure difference was enough to alter acoustic properties of the interior,
19:24with sounds being slightly muted, adding a quiet quality to any conversations and noises
19:29that happened.
19:30Ensuring an interaction with the surrounding environment despite being indoors, the translucent
19:35quality of the fabric altered throughout the day as the natural light changed, which created
19:39a different ambience inside.
19:42The installation remained on display between March and December of 2013 and attracted hundreds
19:46of thousands of visitors during this time.
19:49As with all of Christo's projects, the installation was completely self-financed through the sale
19:53of his original works of art, and following its closure, the sculpture was finally dismantled
19:58and ultimately recycled.
20:003.
20:01The Blur Building, Switzerland With snow-capped mountains and slowly moving
20:06glaciers, Switzerland is known as a place where the environment can feel transient,
20:11so it seems fitting that one of the most amazing temporary but permanent structures in the
20:15world is there.
20:17Known as the Blur Building, it was conceptualized and created by the architectural firm Diller
20:21Scofido and Renfro.
20:23It was built as part of the Swiss Expo in 2002, and unlike traditional buildings, the
20:28Blur Building went against conventional architectural forms, creating a dynamic interaction with
20:33its natural surrounding.
20:34The structure itself was built on a lake, supported by a lightweight structure of steel,
20:39rods, and cables.
20:40This platform was the base for the spectacular feature of the Blur Building, a fine mist
20:45of water sprayed from over 31,000 high-pressure nozzles.
20:50This created a continuous fog that surrounded the building, making it virtually invisible.
20:55The fog was not static, of course, as it responded to changing weather and climatic conditions,
21:00altering the density and shape, and constantly reshaping the architecture itself.
21:05Visitors to the Blur Building embarked on a journey that began at a jetty, where they
21:08were given a raincoat and led along a 400-foot-long ramp that extended into the lake to the main
21:13mass of the fog.
21:15The journey through the mist was disorienting and surreal, as all the usual visual references
21:21disappeared, with the senses of sound and touch becoming heightened.
21:24This concept behind the Blur Building extended beyond its unusual structure, as according
21:29to its designers, it was intended to explore the themes of dematerialization, presence,
21:34and interaction of humans with the environment.
21:36By stripping away visual elements, the architects encouraged visitors to become more aware of
21:40their other senses, creating an introspective experience.
21:44In a surprising addition of technology, the building also included a brain coat, which
21:48is a wearable piece of technology that collected biometric data from the wearer, such as heart
21:53rate and body temperature, and translated this data into a light pattern on the coat.
21:59This feature added an interactive and personal dimension to the experience, reflecting how
22:03individual reactions to the environment could vary dramatically.
22:082.
22:09Burning Man – Black Rock Desert, Nevada It may not be too unusual to find a building
22:14that is temporary in nature, but every year there is an entire city that is built and
22:19taken away again.
22:20It is known as Black Rock City.
22:22It emerges in the Black Rock Desert of northwestern Nevada and serves as the venue for the annual
22:27Burning Man Festival.
22:29The origin of Black Rock City dates back to 1986, when Burning Man first was held on Baker
22:33Beach in San Francisco with a small group of people.
22:36The event was moved to the Black Rock Desert in 1990 due to its growing size and the need
22:41for a more open space that could accommodate the festival's radical self-expression and
22:45self-reliance ideals.
22:47Unlike traditional cities, Black Rock City is planned and built by its citizens, who
22:51are also attendees of the festival.
22:54The layout of the city is designed to resemble a clock face.
22:57The main avenue, called the Esplanade, forms a semicircle, and at the end is the iconic
23:01Burning Man effigy.
23:03Radial streets are named after hours on the clock and intersect with circles that are
23:07named alphabetically.
23:09At the heart of this city is the principle of Leave No Trace, which is rigorously practiced
23:14to ensure the desert itself is left pristine.
23:17The environmental ethos is central to the festival's commitment to sustainability and
23:20respect for the earth, but despite the city's temporary nature, it features a complex infrastructure,
23:26including emergency services.
23:28Artists from around the world contribute sculptures and various art pieces, often giant in scale
23:33and interactive in nature.
23:35These works are intended to encourage participation, and then during the climax of the festival,
23:39the temple, which is a large wooden structure that serves as a spiritual and reflective
23:43space for attendees, is burned.
23:46Everything in Black Rock City is then disassembled and taken away, with teams responsible for
23:50each section of it to ensure even the smallest pieces of litter have been collected.
23:54This means that as soon as the end of the event, there's virtually no trace of it ever
23:58having been there.
23:59That is, of course, until next year, when it begins all over again.
24:031.
24:04The Eiffel Tower So, one of the most recognizable monuments
24:08in the entire world, the Eiffel Tower was barely meant to have been in the center of
24:12Paris for only a few decades, let alone more than a century.
24:16It was originally designed as a temporary exhibit for the 1889 World's Fair, which
24:21was held in the city that year to celebrate the centennial of the French Revolution.
24:25Of course, it was engineered by Gustave Eiffel and his assistants.
24:28With a height of over 1,083 feet, the Iron Lattice Tower was the tallest man-made structure
24:33in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in New York in 1930.
24:38Made from 7,300 tons of iron and held together by 2.5 million rivets, the design was revolutionary
24:44for its time, using the structural principles of truss and crossbracing for stability.
24:49It was unlike anything anyone had ever seen so far, and was initially massively criticized
24:54by some of France's leading artists and intellectuals for its design.
24:58Eiffel managed to stave off this early criticism by highlighting not only its aesthetic appeal
25:03but also its scientific applications, which included radio transmission.
25:07The tower served as a meteorological observatory too and a military radio post, plus a platform
25:12for a number of scientific measurements and experiments, and this helped him gain permission
25:16to leave it standing beyond its original planned demolition date of 20 years.
25:21Today, the Eiffel Tower attracts millions of visitors each year, making it one of the
25:25most visited paid monuments in the world.
25:28It's got three levels accessible to visitors, the first two can be reached by stair or lift,
25:32and the third level is at the summit, which can only be reached by lift, and offers incredible
25:36panoramic views of Paris.
25:38It's seen from across Paris, particularly at night when it's illuminated by 20,000 lightbulbs.
25:43It's the longest-lasting and most impactful temporary structure of all time, and one that
25:48Parisians probably hope will keep standing for at least another 135 years.
Comments