For the first time in Korea, the internationally renowned
Heatherwick Studio get their own exhibition. The studio has been led by Thomas
Heatherwick since 1994 and today houses 180 architects and designers from
numerous fields, such as urban planning, product design, furniture and art. The
exhibition showcases the products, concept designs and fulfilled urban projects
that span the world from the UK, through the Middle East, to China and beyond.
The first part of the exhibition goes through the
thinking process behind every project at Heatherwick Studio. The second part
dissects the manufacturing and how these projects come to earthly and material
form. Lastly, the third part shows how the projects convey a story to the
viewer of joy, awe, pleasure or calmness.
Did I say ”lastly”? Well, that is what I was thinking
when I came across the ultimate room in the exhibition, namely the ”Spin-hula”
installation. Filled with parents and their children spinning around, these
chairs spin freely around without the person falling off. The ”Spun Chair” from
2010 sports a balanced form that is comfortable both to sit and lean back in.
The exhibition conveys the London-based studio’s projects’
scale and ambition. The designs revolve around themes such as texture,
topography and movement. ”Inside Heatherwick Studio” is made possible through a
cooperation between D Museum and the British Council as part of the ”New
British Inventors” campaign that puts the spotlight on pioneering British
designers.
Paternoster Vents,
London, UK, 2000
Two 8.4m tall steel sculpural vents that work to cool an
electricity sub-station. Less bulky than the large, single structure that was
first planned.
Rolling Bridge,
London, UK, 2004
This kinetic bridge functions both as a sculpture in its
folded state, and a place of pedestrian crossing in its unfolded state. The
footbridge unfurls in around 3 minutes.
Garden Bridge,
London, UK, est. 2018
A much larger footbridge is estimated to be completed in
2018. The footbridge across the River Thames will link the two banks of the
300m-wide river, provide a garden for London’s inhabitants and a new panorama
spot of the city.
Olympic Cauldron,
London, UK, 2012
Every Olympic opening ceremony is rounded off with the
lighting of the Olympic fire. The UK broke some conventions with this
centrepiece of the opening ceremony, positioned in the middle of the ground
instead of up high above the spectators which has been the norm in past Olympic
games. Every participating country was represented by one copper piece, making
it a total of 204 pieces. The scattered pieces were lit on fire and then the
204 small fires gathered into one big fire, representing the Olympic spirit.
Opening hours: Tues – Sun 10AM-6PM
Fri, Sat: 10AM-8PM
Final admission 30 min. before closing.
Closed on Mondays and Chuseok.
Audio guide available via the D Museum app. Rental
earphones included in the museum admission price.
Free tour guides: Tues – Sun from 11AM to 5PM at the start of
every hour.
Exhibition period: 16 June – 23 October 2016