PUBLIC SERIES
when winter comes, lifeguards of Toronto at Woodbine beach take a leap of faith and transform themselves into nodes for gathering people and connecting them with the earth and ocean in an unexpected time and manner, composing resilience within.
are you ready to leap at the chance to meet friends and snow walk to the heart of winter?
heart of winter
activating the ground it touches
as summertime the lifeguard is required to be alone and wide-awake up in the air to observe the sea for any distress and trouble in our lives, the winter is time to give a break on the sea and come together on land to celebrate the cycle of mother nature, giving us the means and ability to survive and live together; this lifeguard station becomes the “heart of winter”, ascending as cube pillars, pumped with the heat of the earth, attracting people around to its warmth, and subconsciously reminding of our ancestors, that we need to come closer and warm each other to survive the cold, and that we are stronger together.
The heat elevates up to the lifeguard station slowly, giving various and distinct heights and views to look around, as we develop new senses and information from each other like we are all standing in different stages of life usually with complementary views, we come together to make a point, to take out new meaning, forming natural resilience, feeling the strength just by watching ourselves as if we are the lifeguards of each other. heart of winter takes us on a journey of ordinary love, love of winter, love of life, love of silence, love of sound...look around and meditate to the whispering heart of winter! we will all hear some other story! Don’t forget to tell me yours!
year
size
location
theme
status
2021
50 m2
canada
toronto
public space
installation
competition
“heart of winter” consists of modular %100 recycled and recyclable green cast acrylic boxes shaded from the colors of snow-white to flag red. the boxes are transparent and stacked to each other with dry system metal connectors (without bolts and joints) so that the modules can be dismantled easily and re-assembled back to re-use in different forms.
The modules could be spread around to several locations of the city, as the rumor spreads around from one place to another that the "winter is coming" as they are recollected and gathered back at the beach. When the summer comes the modules of the heart spread around the city as public seating and gathering modules, creating a no-waste, circular system for winter and summer.
how could we encourage people to go to the beach in the middle of winter, even when snow has covered all around and also make it a landmark of lingering in summer and gathering in winter?
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The system is formed of 150x125x20cm green cast transparent and opaque 2-5mm, 129 units of acrylic box modules in particular shades. One module is approximately 30-40CAD with metal connectors, the whole system totals up to 3870-5160CAD for materials. Labor is needed, however, expertise is minimal. After the acrylic sheets are cut into specific dimensions, the boxes are formed edge to edge with soluble adhesive. then metal corner frame is located on top of the box before another one is stacked.
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as the modules come up together and shape into our hearts in winter, making people closer, like snuggling each other to get warmer mentally and physically; the modules spread around in summer time to surrounding parks and squares to remind people that they managed it together with warm hearts in times of survival.
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