The Human Cocoon: The Life-Sized Tape Structures
Valerio Spagnuolo
Mar 12, 2014
Numen/For Use is a Croatian/Austrian design collaborative studio that blends architecture and public installation art. It attempts to reinvent entire public spaces with sculpted installations that can be crawled into, providing for an extraordinary interactive experience.
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The art studio’s latest installations have been observed to be connected to some kind of physicality of occupation. Although the studio also specializes in giant inflatable environments, one of its most adored projects has been the life-sized tape structures.
The Tape Structure
Closely mimicking a tunnel of spider webs, this structures are actually made out of basic packaging tape. Apparently, the creators bought the regular tape from supermarkets, so much that half the city was tapeless. They then upgraded it to an 8-inch wide tape.
Yes, You Can Crawl Through It
Created in an interesting shape of a twisting, flattening tunnel, the tape installations can be crawled, climbed or slid through, leaving a range of movements open for you. It may be hard to believe that something as frail and delicate as tape can hold the weight of a human, but you will be surprised. Also, it is not sticky from the inside.
How It Is Made
The studio habitually makes use of pre-existing architecture like trees, pipes and pillars to support their installations. Nothing is really fully planned while creating these installations, as the process involves a lot of chaos and running around.
The creators have an overall shape in mind though, and just follow the natural pattern of space to conjure it, using about 9 miles of tape and about 10 assistants.
How Strong Is A Typical Tape Structure?
The tape structure has been installed many times by the studio in different locations, and can more or less hold up to 15 adults. But just to avoid letting it droop down like chewing gum, only 7 people are allowed at a time.
