The annual temple design to feature in this year’s Burning Man festival has been announced: The "Temple of the Heart" concept is designed by Polish-born, San Francisco-based entrepreneur Ela Madej with the help of her co-lead Reed Finlay and will be the festival’s first physical temple since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago.

In a blog post, Burning Man's creative team said: "Selecting the Temple for Black Rock City is a uniquely challenging decision. We look for a design with a strong visual impact that can serve as a meaningful space to hold the full range of our community’s experiences and offerings. There are both conceptual and practical considerations. Is the Temple creative and beautiful enough to be an artwork in and of itself but simple enough that it doesn’t get in the way or dictate an experience? Will it burn well, and safely? Have the applicants planned for LNT, and considered sustainability in their design and execution?"

"The lead artists are also a key consideration in the decision-making process. With all this in mind, we are delighted to have selected Temple of the Heart! Design-wise, we appreciate that it will be relatively modest in scale. The space allows for many offerings from the community without pushing to be bigger than ever — a key consideration as we balance tradition and environmental sustainability."

Burners will therefore gather responsibly at the temple’s Black Rock City location to use whatever means they need to feel inspired inside the floral bulb enclosure, from which a stem-like emulates skyward as both a beacon and sundial. A Heart Chamber sits underneath Polish lace-inspired panels at the center of the structure and contains the Rose Altar, a prominent back-lit shrine feature placed on top of an extended star-shaped elevation and befitted with more than 100 roses that were hand-picked by members of the community.

A ringed series of 12 alcoves makes up the outer portion of the interior, shielding the intentioned "stillness" of the Heart Chamber and providing seating areas for its users. The openness and fluidity of that portion also satisfy a need for movement around the structure. Finally, an exterior fence is enacted at a distance with four entrances finished off with further rose-like ornamentation. 

"This is going to be a beautiful process and hopefully a life-changing experience for those who get involved," Madej promised.

"The Burning Man Temple is the most remarkable place for deep sharing, grieving and celebration," Reed added, "and we feel a great responsibility to provide a space that respects those profound experiences."

This year's Burning Man opens on August 27th.