moon monster :: competition entry :: 2013

The term folly is considered to have been derived from two different French words: folie, meaning pleasure or delight; and feuilée, which quite literally refers to a leafy arbor. A folie is associated with miscalculation, foolishness and extravagance; it often serves no apparent purpose beyond some mythic or folkloric association. A feuilée, on the other hand, has nothing to do with spectacle and ostentation, but is about embracing nature in a more modest way.

Moon Monster combines elements of both the folie and feuilée. It is geometrically extravagant, yet constructed of modest materials and means. It may seem to serve no apparent function other than aesthetic pleasure – a friendly monster that invites visitors to approach, touch, enter and relax in its shade. Yet upon further inspection, Moon Monster reveals itself to be a precisely calculated devise for tracking the moon’s movement through the sky. Its spiked projections are vectors that point to the position of the moon on a bi-hourly basis through the nights of August 2012. By day, it activates space in and around itself as a dynamic sculptural object providing shady places to relax and picnic. By night, it communes with the movement of the moon.

The geometry of Moon Monster is entirely derived from relationships between movements of the moon and a hypothetical observer of the moon. It is a type of observatory - a device for monitoring a celestial phenomenon. But unlike a traditional observatory, where the viewing point is fixed, Moon Monster migrates the viewer’s position along a curving path. Movement of the viewer makes interaction with Moon Monster a dynamic experience.  

The structure is proposed to be built from sheets of corrugated cardboard laser-cut to slot and splice into each other. Cardboard will be waterproofed with a wax-coating process similar to one used in the construction of cardboard boats. The waterproofing process will ensure the structure will be durable enough for a temporary installation. The dense, intersecting planes of Moon Monster form a highly redundant, lightweight, self-supporting structure.

design team :: Adam Dayem, Kangsan Danny Kim