Heartburst offers an invitation to pause, engage, and explore a more profound sense of connection with ourselves and the world around us. Imagined for Burning Man Animalia, the art spectacular playfully harnesses the healing power of light and sound through a bamboo structure framing views of the vast dessert landscape. Its four heart-shaped entranceways and shared internal intersections embody the power of diversity and promote coming together.
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Heartburst
Temporary Structure (Built)
Firm
OFFICEUNTITLED
Architect/Designer
OFFICEUNTITLED
Design Team
Co-founders and Principals – Ben Anderson, Christian Robert, Shawn Gehle with special thanks to Jillian Leedy, Kat Ślęczek, Nick Miller, Guillem Camps, Kai Kingma, Mirko Wanders, Rogelio Mercado, Panchenchen Feng, Luca Scheraus, Noah Wali, Don and Truman Mutal and many other volunteers.
Location
Black Rock City
Country
United States
Photographer/Copyright
©Benny Chan
Stronger than steel compared to its weight, bamboo is one of the most sustainable and fastest-growing materials available. Sensitive to the environmental impact of building temporary structures on the Playa, Heartburst advances environmental responsibility while demonstrating the possibility of creating stunning spatial experiences without causing harm to the planet. Understanding that the building industry must become more sustainable, the team saw Heartburst as an opportunity to explore the material’s potential first-hand, and bring more awareness to its role in a more sustainable built environment.
Working with a leader in socially conscious, sustainable bamboo applications from Malaysia, the team verified the environmental impact of the structure. Using even the most conservative calculations, inclusive of the entire shipment of the bamboo from Malaysia to Los Angeles, the structure’s carbon sink is still negative -7.5 metric tons of CO2 footprint. This is equivalent to a US household carbon footprint for a year, making this sculpture beyond net zero construction and into a “net-negative” build.
Constructed from approximately 884 bamboo poles, the structure contained roughly 1570 individual connection points using a combination of bolts, wire lashings, and helical earth anchors (drilled in place by hand). Prior to build week, the team constructed 70 components including 58 prefabricated panels before moving to the playa for final completion. The full structure was then erected over the entire build week (6-7 days) on the playa.
Heartburst faced a series of serious challenges in both its development and execution including:
- Severe shipping delays of the bamboo when being transported from Malaysia to Los Angeles due to weather and customs processing.
- The delays resulted in the team having only four days to prefabricate panels before beginning build-week on the playa.
- Engineering challenges caused the team to have to redesign the structure while the bamboo was already cut and enroute.
- Weather impact during build week including hurricane and the always present dust storm.
TEAM
Heartburst was only possible because of the amazing AEC industry guidance and support it received. Its dedicated and ingenious team was integral to its final completion.
Concept and Architectural Design
(OU) OFFICEUNTITLED, Culver City, CA
Team: Co-founders and Principals – Ben Anderson, Christian Robert, Shawn Gehle
with special thanks to Jillian Leedy, Kat Ślęczek, Nick Miller, Guillem Camps, Kai Kingma, Mirko Wanders, Rogelio Mercado, Panchenchen Feng, Luca Scherraus, Noah Wali, Don and Truman Mutal and many other volunteers.
Bamboo Specialists and Materials Liaison
SEAD Bamboo, Malaysia |Team: Lucas Loo, Founder & Executive Director
Engineering
JTK Consult, Malaysia | Doctor Khriban
Arup, Los Angeles | Robert Pallmann, PE SE, Tohiyasu Yoza
RBHU, Ali Lahijanian and Alan Lum
Lighting
Felix Lighting, La Mirada, CA | Team: David McKinnon , Eric Wilson
Renderings and Concept Video
Kilograph, Los Angeles, CA | Team: Keely Colcleugh, Shannon Sweeney, and Tom Spall
Photography
Benny Chan, Los Angeles
Artist Support Services Burning Man
Maria Patridge, Scott Froschauer