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Playascape Burning Man festival pavilion by Atmos Studio

Alex Haw aims to replicate essence of Burning Man with festival pavilion

Alex Haw, founder of Atmos Studio, has designed a timber pavilion named Playascape, which aims to "synthesise the essence of Burning Man" by bringing people together at the festival.

The plywood pavilion will be made from a kit of CNC-cut parts that will be assembled on site during this year's desert festival in Nevada.

Haw designed the semi-circular structure be an extension of the landscape and echo the plan of Black Rock City, the temporary city where the festival takes place.

Playascape Burning Man festival pavilion by Atmos Studio

"Playascape is an undulating terrain that encourages people to perform and interact with each other," said Haw.

"Like Burning Man, it is a landscape populated by events and people – a version of the desert playa pulled up into the air for its community to witness each other and connect in new ways," he told Dezeen.

Playascape Burning Man festival pavilion by Atmos Studio

The structure will be created from timber steps arranged in a crescent, so that it can be clambered upon, but also can be used as amphitheatre-style seating for impromptu performances.

However, Haw hopes that the visitors will explore Playscape and find their own ways to interact with it.

Playascape Burning Man festival pavilion by Atmos Studio

"Playascape aims to in some way synthesise the essence of Burning Man by being a space of open-ended opportunity; a place, like the playa, which is fulfilled and activated by its participants; a forum activated by its citizens," said Haw.

"Its multiple gradients of steepness offer everyone their own path of discovery and attainment – allowing some people to gently meander upwards, whilst others can climb up its almost vertical surfaces or climb up its rear shaded ribs."

According to Haw the pavilion will also explore the different atmospheres of the festival during daytime and night time.

"By day it encourages quieter contemplation; meditation; restfulness in the shade it casts; sedentary connectedness in its various nooks and valleys," added Haw.

"By night it encourages greater abandon as the horizon recedes and the local contours of each sinuous step burst alive with interactive lighting, and multiple monumental competitors to the sun roll in and out of its view and harbour."

The temporary pavilion will be constructed from plywood and steel. The timber sections will be prefabricated by Reno Generator in Reno before being shipped to the site and assembled by a team of volunteers like a "giant 3D jigsaw or urban piece of IKEA furniture".

On the final day of the festival the pavilion will be disassembled and shipped to a non-profit sculpture park in the Bay Area of California.

"Playascape will then explore ways in which its spirit of exploration and connectedness can be fulfilled beyond the microcosm of Burning Man, and the way in which an art project can help foster community, social connection and self development," added Haw.

Burning Man is a festival that takes place yearly in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada. During the event a temporary city called Black Rock City is erected alongside numerous temporary installations.

Last year's event, which was captured from the air by Alex Medina, featured a giant reflective orb designed by BIG.

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