In Albano in Stockholm, Akademiska Hus is building new campus for Stockholm University. In a stream in the park outside the premises, OOZE Architects (Eva Pfannes and Sylvain Hartenberg) and artist Marjetica Potrč are creating a living artwork. It consists of an island that changes with the seasons, that shows how nature is affected by climate change.
Future Island is a 325 sqm island made of stone. The island is divided into a north side and a south side by the latitude 59°21’20.32 ”N. The north side is heated five degrees (with renewable energy) in relation to the surrounding landscape. On the island, sensors will register the changes that occur on the two island halves.
Future Island will be built of blasted stone from the construction site. This use of natural stone alludes to the history of the site, where large amounts of stone were blasted and removed. The stone symbolizes and expresses what has existed and still exists below the surface. The stone will be laid in an artistic and sensitive way; smooth, round, pointed, light and dark, large and small should play against each other.
By being in constant change, the artwork asks questions about the impact of climate change. Future Island presents global warming instead of being a work of art that represents the phenomenon. The artwork is not research in itself, but through its design and content it touches on the research conducted at Stockholm University.
Architect/artist
OOZE architects was founded in 2003 by Eva Pfannes and Sylvain Hartenberg. Ooze works in the intersection of art, architecture and urban development. The practise is based in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since 2008, they collaborate with the artist, architect and researcher Marjetica Potrč. Potrč is based in Ljubljana.
