The Sweater Lodge
The Canadian Design Studio of Pechet and Robb warm up
the Venice Biennial in Architecture this coming fall with their installation
called SweaterLodge.
Bill Pechet and Stephanie Robb
run an award-winning
interdisciplinary design practice, based in
Vancouver
, with backgrounds in both
architecture and fine art. Since
1991, they have produced a portfolio of projects which include private
residences, cemeteries, memorials, public art, commercial interiors,
exhibitions, set designs and furniture. Their interest lies in developing
environments which bridge the worlds of art and imagination to everyday
life with a trademark theatricality, wit and cultural commentary.
The
10th Venice Biennale in Architecture began in 1984, adding a new component
to a cultural institution that started in
Venice
in 1895, and has grown to
include most aspects of Cultural production: visual arts, theatre, music,
dance, literature and film. This year’s event which takes place from
September 9th - November 19th will focus on the
design of cities and their urban infrastructure and social dynamics,
providing a unique international perspective on the relationship between
architecture, society, and sustainability. The twelve-week exhibition will
tackle the key issues facing cities today -- from migration and growth, to
mobility and sustainable development. It
will examine the role of architects and architecture in constructing
democratic and sustainable urban environments, and their links to
policymaking, governance and social cohesion. It will propose a manifesto
for Cities of the 21st Century – focusing on the potential of cities to
contribute to a more sustainable, democratic and equitable world.
It
will also provide the professional audience with new and detailed
information of the complex issues that affect urban growth today: new
developments in transport, emerging forms of urban governance, and the new
landscapes of housing, workplaces, and public institutions that are
shaping the contemporary world.
SweaterLodge has been chosen through a national
juried competition to represent Canada at the 2006 Venice Biennale of
Architecture. It is a multi-media exhibit reflective of:
Canada
’s vast wilderness, our resourcefulness, our dedication to sustainable
living and, our collective enjoyment of outdoor recreation.
The main element of SweaterLodge is a giant polar
fleece sweater. Offering visitors a warm welcome, this common article of
Canadian street wear is amplified into an iconic architectural
environment, reflecting how outdoor leisure lifestyle intersects with
Vancouver urban living. The polar fleece fabric is made from recycled
plastic drink containers. Suspended within the Canadian pavilion, the
inhabited garment becomes a lodge, a voluminous glowing orange interior
space, evoking fire light and the brilliance of out-in-the-woods safety
wear.
As visitors enter the sweater, they encounter a
series of digital films showing vignettes about a city that intertwines
wilderness and modern urban life. Each projection is activated by a viewer
peddling a stationary bicycle: the faster they peddle, the faster the
video plays.
The shipping crates and baggage used to transport
the exhibition will transform to become pavilion furniture as SweaterLodge
envisions a future where daily objects become multifunctional: a sweater
becomes a lodge, packs become sofas, and bicycles become projectors.
After the exhibition, the 400 square meter sweater
will return to Canada for a public “sew-in” event where it will be
recycled into hats, scarves and mitts for charitable giving.
The
Design Firm of Pechet and Robb
is in the home stretch for fundraising. They are hoping to raise another
$25, 000 before the end of August. Creating a unique and memorable exhibit
of this magnitude is an expensive proposition, and they rely on the
generosity of government, corporate and private donations.
People
can donate on-line at www.sweaterlodge.ca.
All donations will receive an immediate tax receipt and
would be greatly appreciated!
Lets get the Sweater Lodge to Venice and show what Canadian Design
and Ingenuity is about
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