Umbra

An immersive installation that invites audiences to explore the interplay of sunlight and shadows cast through a series of architectural perforations, drawing inspiration from the Mashrabiya.

The Mashrabiya, an element of traditional Middle Eastern architecture, was historically used as a window or spatial partition. Mashrabiyas’ geometric perforations enable occupants to observe activity without themselves being visible, and simultaneously prevents the sun from overheating homes by limiting the light allowed in whilst still inviting a breeze. The installation was intended to offer visitors a moment of solace from the sun in the long transition from the car park and in to the Dubai Design Week show.

Using Finsa’s pioneering Fibracolor material, a fully sustainable and pigmented particle board, we imagined this material into a structure comprising of 2 skins with varying geometric textures. The outer skin is in bright yellow to reflect the sunlight away whilst the inner skin offers more comforting colour tones. The heat is captured in a volume between the two layers and ventilated upwards through the roof.

Whilst the installation acts as a natural compass to point visitors in the right direction it also paints lattice patterns over guests and the surrounding area as they transition through. The whole environment evolves throughout the day as the sunlight shifts. This can be visible on the monolith slab furniture pieces within, made from layered Fibracolor.