In Morocco‘s Agafay Desert, a metal lattice holds open air where a solid form would normally sit. Molecular Cloud Wireframe is a kinetic agafay desert installation by French artist Vincent Leroy, and its empty spaces carry as much structural weight as its metal.
The project extends Leroy’s Molecular Cloud series, which includes an installation presented at Coachella. Here, the cloud-like volume becomes an open, three-dimensional lattice in this work. The work examines spatial perception, movement and structural transparency.
How the lattice works
Curved linear ribs trace a set of intersecting spherical shapes. The metal lattice sculpture forms a network of lines rather than a closed mass.
The structure filters sightlines like a moucharabieh, the latticed screen used in Islamic architecture. As a viewer moves, the surrounding desert breaks into fragments. This kinetic installation works as both a physical object and a spatial drawing.
Leroy’s perforated, screen-like approach to light and enclosure has a counterpart in a pavilion rooted in regional craft traditions: Rarámuri-inspired pavilion blending art and tradition shows how cultural references can shape built form.
Light changes the reading
Direct daylight brings out the depth of this piece. The overlapping spherical volumes become easier to read as separate forms.
At dusk, contrast against the sky sharpens. The three-dimensional assembly flattens into a graphic, two-dimensional silhouette. Over a single day, the same structure shifts from depth to outline.
Via designboom.com
Frequently asked questions
Who created the Molecular Cloud Wireframe installation?
Molecular Cloud Wireframe was created by French artist Vincent Leroy. It extends his Molecular Cloud series, which includes an installation presented at Coachella.
Where is the Molecular Cloud Wireframe installation located?
The installation is located in Morocco’s Agafay Desert. It is a metal lattice that holds open air where a solid form would normally sit.
How does the lattice filter views of the desert?
The lattice is made of curved linear ribs that trace intersecting spherical shapes, forming a network of lines rather than a closed mass. It filters sightlines like a moucharabieh, so the surrounding desert breaks into fragments as a viewer moves.
How does daylight change the way the installation looks?
Direct daylight makes the depth of the overlapping spherical volumes easier to read as separate forms. At dusk, contrast against the sky sharpens, and the three-dimensional assembly flattens into a two-dimensional silhouette.
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