In a celebration of the enduring spirit of running, Adidas together with Los Angeles-based design studio Playlab have unveiled a sculpted land art installation in the breathtaking desert of Santa Fe, New Mexico. 

The project, named Adidas EQT Track, pays homage to the ritual of running, particularly for the part-time runner whose dedication often goes unnoticed. 

The temporary installation aligns with the relaunch of adidas Equipment (EQT), a brand that originated in 1991 with the mission of providing the essentials for athletes without any excess, providing that "everything that is essential, and nothing that is not."

Today, 30 years since its inception, adidas EQT is reintroducing itself to the world, and the centerpiece of this relaunch is a remarkable 200-meter track, thoughtfully placed within a gypsum mine in the Ojito Wilderness reservation. 

This unique location offers an escape from the distractions of everyday life, creating a serene environment for runners. 

Over several weeks, the 300-foot-by-100-foot (91-metre by 30-metre) track was carefully sculpted by hand using locally sourced materials, embodying the spirit of the region. The inner ring of the track reaches at 2 meters wide.

"We created this moment dedicated to this runner, you, someone who is balancing a creative field and their own well-being," said Archie Lee Coates, co-founder of LA-based creative agency Playlab. He explains that the conversation with adidas began around a singular question: what is essential to running?.

Coates added that the following questions were: "Who is it for? What does it need to look like? How often do you need to do it? And ultimately what does running look like? For us we boiled it down to being a ritual. Something that is deeply nuanced, personal, spiritual and ultimately an art form in itself."

"Created for one day only, the net zero project will go back into the earth once finished," said Coates.

Guests from around the globe were invited to experience this monument to running, given the opportunity to test new EQT products, including the highly anticipated Agravic trail shoe set to debut in 2025, along with a limited edition Equipment Pro 91/24, which will be restricted to just 100 pairs next week. 

Additionally, participants had the chance to try out a prototype of the Equipment Guidance 91/24, inspired by the adi pro zero. This immersive experience not only highlighted the relaunch of adidas EQT but also celebrated the personal journey of every runner.

As Coates noted, this experience was for one-time initiative only, and the materials have returned to the earth.

PlayLab is a multidisciplinary Los Angeles-based creative studio with no specific focus, founded in 2004. The studio realizes ideas across a wide range of scalesby creating campaigns, furniture, retail, installations, books, artworks and more, through creative and artdirection, strategy, design and production. 

Project facts

Creative Direction: PlayLab

Production: Mazarine

All images © Charles Roussel, courtesy of PlayLab. 

> via PlayLab

Adidas Adidas EQT gypsum mine PlayLab running track