During Milan Design Week 2023 (April 18-23), Ma Yansong’s MAD studio presented the installation piece Momentum in the central courtyard of Cortile d’Onore at the University of Milan.
Momentum explores the fusion of architecture, sculpture, painting, music, and dance. It embodies the crystallization of immense energy and extended time within a shared space. Simple cubes serve as vessels, reflecting diverse art forms that continuously evolve and eventually dissolve into the surrounding atmosphere.
The installation is wrapped in reflective material. By day, it captures projections of classical arcades, moving skies, tree shadows, and grass, blurring the lines between the object and its environment. This interplay transforms the piece into a living, ever-changing artwork. When night falls, the structure becomes transparent and ethereal, with a lighting matrix that creates a futuristic ambiance.
Momentum merges virtual art with physical installation. Using augmented reality (AR) technology, it breaks the constraints of time and space, enabling viewers to interactively create multiple reflective cubes inspired by the device’s “momentum.” These virtual cubes float under various lenses, offering a dynamic experience across different fields.
This marks MAD’s sixth participation at Milan Design Week. Previous installations include Boundless (2016), Tianjing (2018), and Freedom (2021), among others.
Project Information
Type: Installation Device
Material: P.A.T.I. ETFE Polymer
Dimensions: 8 meters × 8 meters × 12.5 meters
Design Team: Ma Yansong, Party Masses, Yokosuke Hayano, Andrea D’Antrassi
Partners: Interni, AXA Immobiliare ALTS
Engineering Team: Maco Technology srl, Roberto Maffei
Lighting Design: Luce&Light
Animation Team: Studio AIRA
Smoke Effects: Nephos
Photographers: Moreno Maggi, Matteo Vercelli
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