selvatico enlivens public square in belgium with mirroring + meditative cube installation
selvatico revives watou square with ‘twofold reflection’
A mirrored cube-shaped installation with a vibrant, yellow interior injects new life into a mundane parking space in Watou, Belgium. Dubbed ‘Twofold Reflection’, the artwork by Amsterdam-based collective Selvatico invites locals to gather, explore and reflect inside a serene, meditative cube while listening to Marc van Tongele’s poetic reverberations. Restoring a sense of community to what was once a bustling village square, the interactive intervention was built for the 2022 edition of the International Arts Festival of Watou, titled ‘Sense of Place.’ With a focus on interconnectedness and the interplay between art and poetry, ‘Twofold Reflection’ seeks to ‘bring back the excitement of the unpredictable.’
all images by Giovanni Nardi
offering a momentary, meditative escape for the community
Watouplein was once a vibrant community square crucial to the social fabric of Watou village, hosting various events and celebrations. Today, it is almost entirely occupied by parking spaces and defined by a mundane, grid-like demarcation. Breaking these rigid boundaries, Selvatico seeks to redefine the site and temporarily restore its function as an interactive square where locals to gather.
The mirroring exterior of ‘Twofold Reflection’ almost camouflages the structure within its historic, urban context and sits in stark contrast to the warm and intimate yellow interior draped with lightweight curtains. A sense of softness immerses visitors when stepping inside, disconnecting them entirely from the outside world, even if just for a moment. This intimate boundary has been named ‘pensatoio’ by the designers — in reference to its quiet, contained, and meditative atmosphere where one can stop and reflect while listening to the conjuring poetry of Marc von Tongele. ‘It is a place that is not linked to a specific activity, but that has been created to allow the user to fill in the space in full freedom as he sees fit,’ comments the team at Selvatico.
The 2022 International Arts Festival of Watou took place between July 2 and September 4, 2022.
a reflective cube-shaped installation revitalizes a mundane parking space in Watou, Belgium
Selvatico transforms Watouplein into an interactive community square
Twofold Reflection seeks to ‘bring back the excitement of the unpredictable’
the mirroring exterior camouflages the structure within its historic, urban context
the meditative installation invites locals to gather, explore and reflect to the poetic reverberations inside
the cube’s interior is draped with warm yellow curtains creating a sense of intimacy and stillness
‘Twofold Reflection’ was built for the 2022 International Arts Festival of Watou
project info:
name: Twofold Reflection
location: Watou, Belgium
program: 2022 International Arts Festival of Watou
designer: Selvatico
photography: Giovanni Nardi
designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions’ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: ravail khan | designboom
