flying gardens
elevating natural elements from the ground floor
up to the living areas of the elderly residents
year 2012 / 2015
category Kinetic & Interactive Installations
in collaboration with
for
KAV Vienna / Pflegewohnhaus Donaustadt
In 2012 mischer’traxler studio and Martin Robitsch were approached by the curators of Liquid Frontiers to develop a project for the inner courtyards of a residential care facility for the elderly in Vienna.
The landscape design for the ground-level of the yards were already planned with a water pond and a fern garden. Due to the immobility of some residents and the fact that the yard is not accessible, the designers decided to bring the elements of the ground floor up to the people. In steady motion and balanced choreography, twenty water sieves or twenty ferns slowly pass the windows of the communal rooms and fill the yards with contemplating movement. While the the ferns arrange automatically in various patterns and formations allowing to see different arrangements throughout the day the sieves fill with water at their lowest point. Once they are pulled up again, the water trickles down again, filling the yard with small water-drops.
documentation of the water yard, capturing the sieves moving slowly in a choreography
visualisation of the fern yard explaining the concept of bringing the elements of the ground floor
up to the elderly people who would not have access otherwise
flying ferns in choreography
fern yard, ground floor
flying gardens, 2015 / permanent kinetic installation in an old-people's residence
detail of the trickling water
water yard choreography from above
flying gardens, 2015
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material
fern yard:
20 hand-made artificial ferns, motors, stainless steel, controlling unit
water yard:
20 anodized aluminium sieves, motors, stainless steel, controlling unit
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dimensions
fern yard:
15 x 12 x 20 meters (6 stories high)
water yard:
15 x 12 x 24 meters (7 stories high)
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curated by
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a project by
mischer’traxler studio and Martin Robitsch
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concept phase
2012
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realisation
2014/2015
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documentation
2016
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construction flying gardens
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archtitects
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client
KAV Vienna / Pflegewohnhaus Donaustadt
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landscape architecture
Rajek & Barosch
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video documentation