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KWY.studio: Sømærke

Conceived by Berlin based architecture collective KWY.studio for Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus, Sømærke is a sculpture, a shelter and a frame for outward observation.

KWY, Ricardo Gomes and Ben Allen with Lise Kassow Sømærke, Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus

Sømærke is a sculpture that acts as a visual beacon, a shelter and a place to observe one’s surroundings, offering views of the Aarhus coast and providing a place for reflection and contemplation.

The form of the sculpture frames the view and provides the viewer with a tangible relationship to the natural environment and the passing sun by creating ever changing patterns of light and shadow.

KWY.studio, Ricardo Gomes and Ben Allen with Lise Kassow Sømærke, Sculpture by the Sea Aarhus — KWY, Ricardo Gomes and Ben Allen with Lise Kassow Sømærke, Sculpture by the Sea, Aarhus

Making reference to the sculptural qualities of the markers common to the Danish coastline, the slatted wooden ribs of the sculpture mimic their visual effects. An interplay of transparency shifts to Moiré effects as one walks towards and around the structure. Sømærke aims to have an analogous function by providing a beacon on the coast that offers guidance in space and time.

Intended to be experienced from both close proximity and as one approaches from afar, the sculpture’s lines of geometry constantly shift in appearance depending on the angle and distance of the viewer. Sømærke is an once a frame for outward observation and a work of art to be viewed from afar, it is a sculpture that draws in viewers and encourages their visual engagement.