Seattle-based architecture practice Olson Kundig (OK) created an ephemeral installation in Occidental Park as part of the Seattle Design Festival last month: a 10-tonne ice cube that slowly melted in the sun.
The piece acts as a statement raising environmental awareness, providing visitors with a tangible metaphor for the melting ice caps, “marking the passage of time as its waters slowly return to the sea,” according to the architects, as well as “showcasing the stages of the natural water cycle as the ice shifts from opaque to translucent”.
The physical presence of such a large ice cube, which was constructed of a number of smaller blocks, was beautiful and serene, filtering the light to create a glowing presence that you can’t help but touch. An immediate response from the public was to press your hand into the ice, creating a hand print where the ice melts more quickly.
The cube lasted for nine days from the 9 – 18 September.
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