MOËT Marquee / Espace lumiere
Melbourne
PTW Architects

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	Click here for slide show. Photo © Dianna Snape

A frothy, ephemeral interior provides space for devotees of a bubbly quaff

Working with Amanda Henderson of Gloss Creative, PTW Architects designed the MOËT Marquee for the Melbourne Cup 2005, the biggest annual horseracing event in Australia. Through the use of daylight and a tensioned Taiyo-Lycra material that was digitally patterned and custom-tailored for this installation, they transformed an off-the-shelf tent into a sparkling and surreal atmosphere they dubbed the “Bubble-ism.”

The tent, weighing just 77 pounds, folds small enough to be transportable in a sports bag; the 33-by-33-foot space can be assembled in less than one hour and is fully reusable.
While appearing solid, the structure is soft and flexible and creates highly unusual spaces that come to life with projection and lighting. Inside, the design team used digital modeling—from conceptual sketches through to finished construction plans—to replicate the frothy structure of foam with sail-like Lyrca panels.

By partially letting sunlight penetrate through the fabric structure, the pavilion comes to life as an ephemeral and surreal bubble experience. The perforated ceiling filters natural light and directs it onto and through the Lycra fabric, creating the depth and translucency of the space. Light levels change constantly during the day with moving clouds and changing atmospheric conditions.

Formal name of project:
MOËT Marquee / Espace lumiere

Location:
Melbourne

Owner:
Moët & Chandon Australia

Architect:
PTW Architects
9 Castlereagh Street, Level 17
Sydney, NSW 2000, Australia
61-2-9232-5877 tel.
61-2-9221-4139 fax
www.ptw.com.au

Chris Bosse

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