Playground (751 Art Market at Beijing Design Week)
Completed
Beijing
China
2022
STIGMA was invited to conceive and imagine a hybrid art fair that integrates sustainability and uprising technology brands, along with exhibitions enhancing environmental awareness as well as of emerging artists during the Beijing Design Week 2022 at 751 Plaza, within the famous 798 Art District.
Seeking to re-imagine an art fair where the integration of programs and circulation becomes spatial pockets that stimulate social activities, that is also safe and jolly as this is the first major event happening post pandemic in 798, the occupation rooted from the spatial typology of ‘playground’, a social and cultural focus within the area, nexus for stimulant for interaction, introduces and encouraging to establish new relationships between the public, art, brands and environmental awareness, interactively and fun-ly.
Playground (游乐场) means literally space to wander and common ground to play, which creates the open invitation we wish to address for playing and connecting. The design and spatial curation stems indeed from the social charge of the playground that become a gathering hotspot locally and regionally for citizens despite their age, occupation, and origins—— a Chinese playground accommodates small food stalls run by locals, and the ground for playing. Various structures are built with scaffolding, not only easy-to-be-assembled-in-situ but also re-usable, minimising carbon footprint while maximising flexibility. The flexible structure house diversity of activities such as concerts, workshops and performances, as well as acting as furniture where needed. Lightweight overlays provide shelters while softening the edges, not only act as pulses of spaces for wandering and playing, but also sheltering audiences from the autumn wind of Beijing while maintaining ambience. Some of the roofs are stretched in height, where zoning are spatially happening before audience hit the floor, which is the extension of the colour zones.
