Bjarke ingels and jakob lange are crowdsourcing plans for a giant reflective sphere, which would form part of the 2018 edition of burning man. known as ‘the ORB’, the inflatable piece is a 1:500,000 scale representation of the earth’s surface with an impressive diameter of over 25 meters (83 ft). conceived as a ‘mirror for earth lovers’, the object both reflects the evolving desert community beneath it and serves as an enormous wayfinding device.
At night, the sphere will blend entirely into its surroundings, becoming part of the desert. ‘the ORB is a tribute to mother earth and human expression — designed to easily inflate and deflate, leaving no trace on the playa,’ explains the design team. the mirrored sphere is supported by a 32 meter-tall (105 ft) steel mast — a construction method that is more complex than it appears.
The design team has funded the majority of the structure’s 30 tons of steel, as well as the 2,500 hours of welding and sewing needed for the sphere itself. to complete the project, the architects are looking to raise an additional $50,000 USD in exchange for a range of perks. find out more on the project’s indiegogo page here.
