Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, many people around the world have been asked to slow down. Pipe Dream is a brand new take on the traditional arcade. Constructed of piping, cord and eyelets, the installation brings the sketches from your 8th grade math notebook to life! Connecting points along the length of each pipe with colored cord creates a series of parabolic entryways reminiscent of Moorish architecture and classroom string art.

Not unlike Francis Kéré’s Colorscape, the installation uses colorful cord to create exciting spaces that challenge the necessity for expensive “finished” materials. Reproducing a traditional architectural form with mass produced materials celebrates the culture and spirit of American ingenuity which prioritizes flexibility and democratic access to materials. 

Intended to be a foreign object in the landscape, Pipe Dream is meant to encourage participants to meander mindfully. Natural light will paint the surrounding landscape with the parabolic shadows of the cord. Each of the five bays is an eight foot cube, resulting in a total footprint of 8’ x 8’ x 40’. The intermediate archways provide a visual separation between each of the bays and encourage proper social distancing.