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Made From Seductively Shiny Balloon Fabric, This Surreal Inflatable Hoarding On A Tokyo Building Site Wittily Redefines The Notion Of Such Temporary Structures And Has Become A Local Landmark

Architectural Review, The, June, 2000 by Catherine Slessor

Dirty and disregarded, the humble site hoarding is generally a source of inconvenience and annoyance to passers-by. But during its short lifespan, Klein Dytham's marvellously surreal inflatable hoarding has seduced collective imagination. Located on Omotesando, Tokyo's version of the Champs Elys[acute{e}]es, the structure was designed to enclose a site during the demolition of an existing building and six months of ground works. Veloqx, Klein Dytham's property developer client, was making its debut in Tokyo and wanted something especially eye-catching to draw attention to its activities.

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With television screens on every corner and the omnipresent blare of neon, getting noticed in Tokyo is not easy. Yet Klein Dytham have succeeded through a combination of inventive pragmatism and wit. Like some mutant organism about to invade Tokyo, the extraordinary inflatable structure oozes over the top of the painted timber hoarding. Initially the idea of a moveable wall that could inflate and deflate was explored, but because of the potential for wear and tear, a static solution was developed. Fabricated by an English balloon manufacturer, the inflatable wall is made of extremely strong, lightweight, silver fabric used in balloons intended for round-the-world endurance journeys.

Even in sensation-saturated Tokyo, the hoarding has generated considerable public interest through enthusiastic press and television coverage. People slow their cars down to get a better look, passers-by stop and stare and the inflatable wall has become something of a local landmark. It is a far and delightfully welcome cry from the grimness and grime usually associated with building sites.

Made From Seductively Shiny Balloon Fabric, This Surreal Inflatable Hoarding On A Tokyo Building Site Wittily Redefines The Notion Of Such Temporary Structures And Has Become A Local Landmark

Architectural Review, The, June, 2000 by Catherine Slessor

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