MAD has installed an ephemeral bubble in front of a century-old house for the 2024 Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale in Japan. Through this installation, MAD aims to create a conversation with the rural areas of ancient Japan.

Called Ephemeral Bubble, the bubble is incorporated into a century-old Murono Village home, giving the impression that it is being softly blown from the traditional wooden building. This design adds a transient, flexible area to replicate the lightness and transparency of breathing air.

The bubble's biomorphic design, which incorporates soft, flowing forms, is inspired by nature. The bubble concept also creates an engaging and playful space, which makes the experiential installation perfect for spiritual and emotional exploration. According to MAD, this approach highlights the importance of engagement in design. 

Events such as performances, ceremonies, gatherings, and other events can be held inside the bubble because it feels spacious and undefined. Soft light is created inside the installation by reflecting the colors and greenery around it into its white interior. 

The historic structure is given new life by this blending of virtual and physical components, old and new.

The Ephemeral Bubble represents a purposeful "de-symbolization" to bring fresh cultural vitality into the traditional village, existing within it while purposefully appearing without origin.

Since its opening in 2016, the historic house—now called the China House Huayuan—has served as a center for Chinese artistic expression and cross-cultural interaction. At the Echigo-Tsumari Art Festival, it still acts as a crucial bridge between the Chinese and Japanese artistic communities.

Tunnel of Light, a piece by MAD Architects, was designed for the 7th Echigo-Tsumari Art Festival in 2018. 

The Tunnel of Light in Kiyotsu Gorge, which combines natural elements with minimalist architecture, is a prime example of simplicity and a profound spiritual experience. 

The 750-meter tunnel is an extension of a structure that was first constructed in 1996 to give access to Chongjin Gorge, one of the three largest canyons in Japan.

With its three unique viewing platforms, the design immerses guests in the surrounding landscape and encourages a close relationship with it. One of the festival's signature pieces, "Tunnel of Light" has drawn a significant increase in art enthusiasts since its unveiling, stimulated local businesses, and brought younger generations back to the area. These results demonstrate the project's power to inspire both spirituality and economy.

The book "Tunnel of Light," which describes the entire design process of the project, was published worldwide in both Chinese and international editions in 2022. 

Ma Yansong is the book's author; Furu Kitagawa, the Art Festival's director, wrote the preface, and Fang Zhenning, an architectural critic, wrote the postscript.

Recently, MAD Architects blended art and architecture for a public art project at 2024 Aranya Theatre Festival. 

In addition, the firm designed an innovation center with a "biomorphic, clover-like green roof" in Beijing, China. MAD's other project, Hainan Science Museum, is under construction in Hainan. 

Project facts

Project name: Ephemeral Bubble

Architects: MAD Architects

Location: Echigo-Tsumari Art Field

Date: 2024

Design Team: Ma Yansong, Yosuke Hayano, Dang Qun, Yu Nagasaki, Rozita Kashirtseva, Valentina Olivieri, Hu Jing-Chang

Contractors: Green Sigma Co.,Ltd., Adachi Zoukeisha

All images © Zhu Yumeng.

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art bubble installation MAD