Oasis
Client: Westfield Group
Location: Clearwater, FL - USA
Service: Design, Fabrication, Installation
Date Installed: 04/2019
The Oasis is an immersive installation created to be a pleasant and peaceful space among the mall's chaotic routine. It becomes a sanctuary of conversation, relaxation, and play. The piece is made up of approximately 1,000 recycled foam tubes that undulate to create an organic lounge space within the heart of the mall. Surrounding these islands are curved walls that reflect and refract the light in different ways based on the angle at which the light hits its surface. This element makes one feel as if they are lying on a beach in their own oasis; with subtle sounds of the ocean playing in the background, the space transports people away from the chaos and into a serene tropical paradise.
“We need more spaces like this all over”
We worked with Westfield Malls on this project to create a space for people to stop, engage, and connect with the people around them. Our main goal for this project was to take a space in constant movement like a mall and create an opportunity for people to slow down and engage with their neighbors. The average person spent nearly 45 minutes in the space, and some were there for 2-3 hours. The space became a meet-up for teens, a conversation spot for people waiting on their significant others' shopping, an adventure land for kids, and even a lounge for the local store employees. The open-ended intervention allowed people to make it their own space in a usually highly monitored environment.
“It really feels like a space of solitude amongst the chaos of the mall.”
