Giant digital origami tigers launch Chinese New Year

10 February 2010


Two giant digital origami tigers playfully celebrate Chinese New Year on the
forecourt of Customs House, Sydney from 11 February –14 March 2010.
The crouching digital tigers combine ancient lantern making methods with
cutting edge digital design and fabrication technology, bringing east and
west together through tradition and innovation.

The big cats are a collaboration between multinational architectural
practice Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LAVA) and Customs House
to mark the lunar year of the tiger and raise awareness about the
endangered status of tigers.
The tigers are inspired by “zhezhi”, a Chinese term for paper folding, more
popularly known by its Japanese name “origami”. Traditional Chinese
lantern makers in Sichuan province, where lantern making has been taking
place for over 800 years and local artisans were consulted.
The Chinese or Lunar New Year is the most important Chinese holiday and
starts with a Lantern Festival. The Chinese lunar astrological sign is the
metal tiger in 2010.
The tigers are the size of a boat at 2.5 metres high and 7 metres long yet
weigh only 200kgs and use fully recyclable materials, aluminium and
barrisol, a new light weight reusable stretch material. Pulsating low energy
LED lighting brings the sculptures to life.
Chris Bosse, LAVA director says: “The project continues LAVA’s mission in
lightweight structures to build MORE WITH LESS.”

“The tigers are part of an ongoing multidisciplinary program featuring
contemporary architecture, installations, photography and digital media
exhibitions in Customs House, ” said Jennifer Kwok, manager of Customs
House.

Giant digital origami tigers
11 February – 14 March 2010
Customs House
1 Alfred Street, Circular Quay, Sydney, Australia


Laboratory for Visionary Architecture Asia Pacific
Chris Bosse, Tobias Wallisser, Alexander Rieck
Niklas Muehlich, Jarrod Lamshed, Erik Escalante, Esan Rahmani,
Anh‐Dao Trinh, Jonas Epper, Stefan Bassing, Simon Wenzel, Isabel Fischer

www.l‐a‐v‐a.net



Sydney ‐ Stuttgart ‐ Abu Dhabi – Shanghai



Fabrication
Sydney Stretch Ceilings
Barissol, a new recyclable stretch material.
www.barrisolsydney.com.au


Customs House
Jennifer Kwok ‐ Manager and Producer
Vicki Matin
Jacqueline Singh
www.sydneycustomshouse.com.au


Concept
Jennifer Kwok and Chris Bosse