A public installation with natural light and materiality in focus, 'Context Reflections' created by ANARCHITECT in collaboration with surface material brand Cosentino was staged at the heart of Dubai Design District (d3) for the duration of Dubai Design Week 2021.

Built using the first carbon neutral surface collection from Cosentino, a permeable installation invited visitors to pause and discover the intriguing play of penetrated light created via a naturally occurring optical phenomenon.

The self-operating, low-tech installation drives inspiration from the principles of ‘Camera Obscura’ of why we see and what we see. Our eyes work in exactly the same way and our brain re-processes the inverted image projected onto our retina to construct the perception of the world as we know it. The concept raised awareness and created an opportunity for introspective contemplation, asking observers to further question the importance of natural light, the environment, social behaviour and the responsibility to preserve and behold all that is important.

A break away from the digital world, the structure served as a full-scale analogue tool that uses the fundamental laws of optics and natural light phenomena to draw attention and active focus. The moving images conjured on the inside wall are an inverted ‘live’ reflection of the surroundings immediately outside of the pavilion, suggestively asking visitors to observe with attention and reflect on the context that surrounds them and the constantly changing environment.

Designed with minimal material wastage and constructed to be demountable, 'Context Reflections' holds on to the principles of simplicity and is a deflection from the overbearing amount of information and technology.

Find out more about ANARCHITECT and their projects here.