Dongguan, China

Situated in a lush ecosystem, the Kaida Center of Science and Design has the opportunity to participate in the dialogue between urban development and landscape preservation in the fast growing city of Dongguan, China. Oftentimes as urban centers develop, they forget their connection to the ecological environment, and beautiful green landscapes are replaced with concrete and mortar. 
Contrary to many other urban developments, the Kaida Ecological Office District’s intention is to bring nature into the city. Using this as a point of departure, Atelier Manferdini’s concept “Living Picture” makes inhabitants and visitors conscious towards nature. The artwork has three components: a colorful immersive art wall, a pair of connective circulation systems, and high resolution printed glass. From its inception, the artwork was developed with the intention of connecting the natural with the digital. This 5.5 meter tall art wall transforms the connective corridor into an immersive environment for viewers to get lost in. The upper portion is composed of a fixed metal tile mosaic that depicts a color environment while the lower 2 meters is composed of 1,700 rotating blocks that encourage the spectator to engage with the artwork. As the viewer rotates the lower blocks, they leave their own presence on the artwork.