Calm Amidst Chaos
August 28th - September 5th, 2022:
The Black Rock Desert is a semi-arid region of lava beds and alkali flats situated 100 miles (160 km) north of Reno, Nevada. It is a rugged land serrated by hundreds of mountain ranges, dried by wind and sun, with spectacular skies, scenic landscapes, and powerful white-out sand storms.
The design, planning, and execution of a calming lounge experience in the middle of one of the most dynamic, energetic, and challenging landscapes on the planet was both a source of accomplishment and pride for me and our wonderful team.
The design inspiration for this space was centered on a rustic wild-west theme paired with modern elements of mid-century design. Bold high-contrast prints mixed with large-scale macrame and antique picture frame gallery installations grounded and defined the space while providing movement and levity which was further enhanced by 300-yards of rose colored satin fringe adorning the entire perimeter of the 30x40-ft ivory colored event tent.
The experience was brought to life by a highly precise projection mapping of vintage western films from all over the world across the entire internal ceiling of the event space. Visitors could also find refreshments at the bar, watch DJ sets, attend yoga and meditation classes, nap, or enjoy the frozen geranium oil scented spa towels and facial mists we offered to the Playa. The result was a beautifully layered, elevated sensory experience enjoyed by thousands of people over the seven day event.
My Role: Designer | Sourcing Manager | Project Manager
Timeframe: April-August 2022
Team:
Keyla Rodriguez | Layout Lead
Annie Dane | Camp Experience Lead
Ryan Francis | Logistics Lead
Robert Montenegro | Projection Artist
Core Challenges
Climate: August in the Black Rock Desert provided a series of climate challenges - primarily daytime temperatures upwards of 105°F and powerful dust storms with wind speeds exceeding 75 mph.
Logistics: Everything brought onto the Playa must be taken offsite when the event ends and stored away in a secure location for the duration of the year. There are no shipping carriers allowed, so every detail of these logics must be mapped out.
Clean Solutions: One of the guiding principals of burning man is ‘No matter out of place’ - meaning anything that comes onto the Playa must be taken off. Each of the elements of an installation must remain intact during the intense weather and leave no trace during or after the event.
Solutions
Wind: The space was anchored with low-cost impactful outdoor rugs that were layered and tacked down to stay in place during high winds.
Heat: To combat high temperatures, we included a branded spa tricycle cart with refrigeration, containing frozen geranium scented towels, ice-cold facial mists, and organic popsicles. Furniture selections were lightweight, weather-proof, ultra-comfortable, and breathable.
Logistics: A storage trailer was purchased to contain all supplies to make this activation come to life and easily packed, unpacked and moved on and off Playa. The empty trailer was re-purposed to be the Audio Visual booth during the event - providing a dust-free, lockable room to contain expensive equipment required for the projection mapping film installation.
No Matter Out of Place: Three design elements were carefully crafted to be low cost, easily installed / dismantled, and leave absolutely no trace behind.
Antique photo frames and large-scale macrame wall pieces were suspended on opposite sides of the space with rotating hooks and fish line in two 150 sq. ft. triangular openings. Both installations provided a polished bohemian feel and movement.
The entire perimeter of the tent was adorned with swags of satin fringe reminiscent of vintage western attire.
Vintage western films from all over the world overlaid with mandalas were precisely mapped to the geometry of the entire ceiling of the space creating visual interest, light, and movement at night.