Architects:Jaemee Studio

Year:2021

Photographs:Jaemee Studio

Manufacturers:DuPont Styrofoam,Liquitex

Project Leader:Haemee Han

Artist Collaborator:I Park Artist Residency

City:East Haddam

Country:United States

Text description provided by the architects. The Lily project was designed and installed by Jaemee Studio during their artist’s residency period at the I-Park Foundation, located in East Haddam, Connecticut. Inspired by lily pads floating at a pond adjacent to Eightmile River, the Lily Project encourages visitors to have a colorful and playful interaction with monumental nature.

The project consists of 13 large lily pads in various sizes that are made out of insulation XPS foams and painted with waterproofed exterior coat paints. Each lily pad is composed of two layers of circular platform laminated and extended surrounding edges to accommodate the weight of the occupant entering the pad and its buoyancy.

Although the surface of the lily platforms is colored in eye-catching colors, the edge of the pads extending out above the platform surfaces are colored with a similar green to the existing natural lily pads at the site. As visitors approach the pond from a distance, one would not distinguish the project clearly as the edge color of green naturally camouflages itself within the context. Strong colors of contrasting hues emerging out of serene scenery are only revealed to the viewer as they get closer to the project.

Composition and aggregation of pure circle forms floating blends in with the landscape yet celebrate itself with diverse eye-catching colors once the visitors arrive at the project.

The diameters of the platform vary between 12 inches and up to 8 feet, where four larger pads can be occupied by visitors. The aim of this temporary floating art installation is to invite visitors to enjoy the beauty of the pond from its interior while emerging themselves as part of an art piece.

The 13 lily pads are tied together in a network and anchored to the bottom of the pond. The composition of aggregation changes itself in response to the pond’s current and wind direction. Once the anchor is raised up, the group of lily pads continuously travels around the pond in circulation.

Project gallery

Project location

Address:East Haddam, CT, United States