THE WET DREAM WHIMSICAL ENGLISH RAIN IN THE PARCHED NEVADA DESERT a 2011 Burning Man installation by
warm baby
warm baby
presents
THE WET DREAM
AN UNCANNY DESERT OASIS
2011
contents
mraw ybab
01 07 15 23 31 49 81 93 113
01 thanks & forward
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‘IT’S NOT ABOUT HIDING FROM THE RAIN BUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN IT.’ 2
thanks
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foreword kim walker & louise mackie
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A WHIMSICAL DREAM OF ENGLISH RAIN UNDER THE PARCHED DESERT SUN.
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02 Burning Man art
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Burning Man art Larissa Begault & Xavier Roeseler
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Playa Art
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INSPIRE, ENGAGE, QUESTION, PUZZLE, AMUSE, SEDUCE OR OTHERWISE INFLUENCE PEOPLE.
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03 warmbaby
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We are Warmbaby & we want: 1. To test, to craft, to build, to experiment. 2. To do the above in a hands-on, practical, non-office environment. 3. To design as a non-hierarchical, flexible group. 4. To design & build using the skills present in the group, anything goes from coding to porridge making. 5. To design through open & informal meetings. 6. To respond to site environment & programme. 7. To create beautiful spaces that delight & surprise. 8. To create active spaces which involve participants & encourage inhabitant alterations. 9. To challenge perceptions of architecture & architects through accessible ideas. 10. To enjoy what we do. 11. To keep the group open & casual using the internet, blogs, exhibitions, books, talks and anything else that comes up. 12. To continue learning & pushing each other & ourselves.
warmbaby
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‘THERE’S FEW TIMES THAT SOMEBODY CAN REALLY BRING A SLICE OF WHERE THEY’RE FROM TO THE PLAYA, BUT I FEEL LIKE THE LONDON ARCHITECTS OF THE WET DREAM REALLY ACCOMPLISHED THAT. AND IT WAS GREAT TO WORK WITH THEM. A REALLY ORGANIZED GROUP, HOPE THEY DO MORE.’ DOUG DEAN “A TREMENDOUSLY FUN, WELCOMING, BEAUTIFUL GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO HELPED MAKE MY FIRST BURN UNFORGETTABLE.” TIM SYME 18
ALL THE WARMBABIES. Natalie Wright Louise Mackie Lucy Jones Guy Woodhouse Kim Walker Andrew Simpson Jenny MacDonald Larissa Begault Jimmy Krehl
Shamoon Patwari Xavier Roeseler Dinah Mullen Drew Walker Tracey Bascue Doug Dean
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Leg Names
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04 black rock desert
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black rock desert jenny macdonald
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black rock desert, united states
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london, england ‘IT IS COMMONLY OBSERVED, THAT WHEN TWO ENGLISHMEN MEET, THEIR FIRST TALK IS OF THE WEATHER; THEY ARE IN HASTE TO TELL EACH OTHER, WHAT EACH MUST ALREADY KNOW, THAT IT IS HOT OR COLD, BRIGHT OR CLOUDY, WINDY OR CALM.’ SAMUEL JOHNSON 27
‘THE SKY IS ORANGE AND PINK AND PURPLE AND WHITE AND TURQUOISE. AND THE MOUNTAINS ARE GREY AND PURPLE AND SORT OF A NAVY BLUE AND ALL DIFFERENT SHADES. AND THEN THE PLAYA IS SORT OF DUSTY WHITE..’ JENNY
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05 design
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anything is possible Natalie Wright
Conceptualization
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YES, WE WERE AT THE GRAFTON ARMS AND YES WE MAY HAVE BEEN PAYING HOMAGE/TAKING INSPIRATION FROM THEIR WONDERFULLY LARGE UMBRELLA!
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Plan & Section
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Details
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Ropes
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1:Cocktail Umbrella Scale Model
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1x Full Size Leg
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2x Full Size Legs
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06 build
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building under the sun Louise Mackie & Jim Krehl
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[d]
[e]
[d] august
july
june
may
[c]
[e]
[f] sept
[b]
april
march
[c]
take down
[a] pre-design [b] detailed design [c] order materials [d] pre-build components [e] assemble on site [f] Burning Man [g] take down
[a]
arrive at the playa
arrive in reno
timeline
[g]
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Steel Fabrication
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the Walker’s House; Reno, Nv
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pre-build
Jerry & Karen Walker
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To the Playa
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Ready for Lifting
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Raising the Structure
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Build Week
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IT’S JUST GREAT TO SEE SOMETHING COME TO LIFE - THROUGH DESIGN PHASE & BUILD PHASE TO COMPLETION. I FEEL REALLY FORTUNATE TO BE A PART OF IT.’ DREW WALKER
Working at Night
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Dust Storm
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‘YOU JUST NEVER REALLY KNOW WHAT SOMETHING IS GOING TO BE LIKE WHEN IT’S ON PAPER. YOU HAVE TO STAND UNDER IT TO REALLY KNOW. AND THAT’S SUCH A PLEASURE, TO BE ABLE TO BUILD SOMETHING AND SEE OTHER PEOPLE’S REACTIONS. I LOVE SITTING HERE ANYTIME OF THE DAY OR NIGHT AND WATCHING PEOPLE UNDER THE UMBRELLAS.’ KIM WALKER 74
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07 interactivity, sound & light
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THERE’S NOT MANY SOUND SCULPTURES OUT HERE, AND IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING THROUGHOUT THE DAY TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS HAPPENING. IN THE EVENING I CAME BY AND FULLY EXPERIENCED THE PIECE AND THEN REALIZED IT WAS RAINING....’
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the other senses Lucy Jones & Guy Woodhouse
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t o p
5301
t o p
b o t t o m
b o t t o m
290cm 340cm 360cm 360cm 350cm 340cm 340cm 350cm
350cm 340cm 340cm 350cm 360cm 360cm 340cm 290cm
Rain Lights Section 9726
leg4 curtain 3
leg5
curtain 2 leg3
drop 3 drop 2
drop 4
leg6
drop 1 drop 5
leg7
leg2 curtain 1
drop 6
leg1
curtain 4 leg8
leg12 curtain 6
leg9
leg11 curtain 5 leg10
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Rain Lights Plan
power
raining lights Lucy Jones
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chatting umbrellas Guy Woodhouse
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day
sunrise 6:20
1hr: Transition period; from the craziness of the night to the magic of a new day beginning, with many lost people wandering around needing help into the morning; beautiful early morning music (like nancy sinatra) . It’ll get really hot again really quickly; start with lighter rain and feed in more storms, storms rumble away to heavy rain as it gets hotter, to cool people again. 88
12hrs: Lots of softer pattering rain with the odd thunderstorm. Rain fading in between light and heavy, light rain never gets too quiet or lasts too long, with it getting heavier as it builds up to the thunderstorm. Sometimes birds chirp and you can hear kids splashing in puddles. Thunderstorms to last about 5mins. Rain in the day is meant to cool and calm people.
24 hours of sound
1hr: Build up to the nighttime’s more frantic and more frequent stormy weather conditions. Very vibrant and alive, the heat is fading away with the sun and as the temperature cools down people appear all over the playa; continuously fade in and out of pounding rain and thunder.
night
sunset 19:20
Dinah Mullen
10hrs: Lots of heavy rain and big storms, sometimes rain gets very light at which points you can hear the background rain based music tracks (cue Prince’s Purple Rain) then fade back into heavy rain; tease people under the umbrellas and keep them there! Trip them out. At night the rain is meant to excite people and make them feel alive; the way you feel in a really dramatic thunderstorm - you want to go and dance in it!
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‘IT’S JUST SUCH A SIMPLE THING, HANGING UMBRELLAS, AND YET THE WAY THEY SPIN AND TWIST IN THE WIND, DANGLING JUST OUT OF ARMS REACH AND FORMING A CONSTANTLY CHANGING CEILING - I THINK THAT MOTION COUPLED WITH THE SOUNDS OF RAIN PATTERING DOWN IS WHAT REALLY MADE IT WHAT IT WAS. THE PIECE WAS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST VISUAL, WHEN YOU STOOD INSIDE AND LOOKED UP IT ENVELOPED YOU AND TOOK YOU FAR AWAY FROM THE HEAT OF THE DESERT.’ KIM WALKER
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08 the wet dream
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‘IT WAS INCREDIBLY STRESSFUL BUT MASSIVELY FUN, AND NOW THAT IT’S FINISHED AND BUILT I LOOK AT IT AND GET A RATHER WARM GLOW IN MY TUMMY. ’ LOUISE MACKIE
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an uncanny desert oasis Guy Woodhouse & Kim Walker
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A Piece of the Black Rock City
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Burning Man
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‘I WAS REALLY UPSET THAT THE UMBRELLAS GOT WRAGGLED, BENT & DIRTY. BUT THEN SOMEBODY SAID THAT IT ADDED TO THE STORM EFFECT, WHICH I LIKED. ‘ NATALIE WRIGHT
Colour of the Umbrellas
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‘IT’S AMAZING SEEING PEOPLE USING AND ENJOYING AND EXPERIENCING IT, AND SEEING HOW PEOPLE USE IT IN A WAY THAT YOU MIGHT NOT HAVE IMAGINED - THAT IS, I GUESS, THE EXCITING THING - YOU GET TO SEE HOW PEOPLE INHABIT THE SPACE.’ GUY WOODHOUSE
People Under the Umbrellas
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‘WHAT’S BEEN REALLY INTERESTING IS THE EXTREME OF EMOTION IN RESPONSE TO IT; HERE EVERYONE’S VERY PASSIONATE AND VERY ABLE TO FEEL SO I THINK PEOPLE HAVE A MUCH STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE ART AND RESPONSE TO THE ART, WHICH IS GREAT BECAUSE YOU GET SUCH IMMEDIATE FEEDBACK; BUT ALSO I FIND THAT QUITE OVERWHELMING, BEING SO USED TO THE CHIN RUBBING AND DISCREET RESPONSES TO ART THAT I’VE HAD IN THE PAST. I’M LEARNING TO ENJOY IT.’ LUCY JONES
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Sunset Hour
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Dancing in the Night
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‘IN THE MIDDLE OF A WHITE OUT LAST NIGHT I WAS WANDERING AROUND THE PLAYA AND I CAME BY THE WET DREAM AND WAS JUST KNOCKED OVER BY IT. I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL PIECES I’VE SEEN. SO OF COURSE I HAD TO PARK MY BIKE AND GO INSIDE OF IT AND JUST LET MYSELF GET WRAPPED UP IN IT. IT WAS TERRIFIC. MY HAT’S OFF TO WHOMEVER BUILT AND DESIGNED THIS.’
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09 gifting umbrellas
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umbrella architecture Andrew Simpson
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umbrella sponsors
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umbrella adoptors
‘IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL ART PIECE IN ITS OWN RIGHT, BUT TO ADD THE PERSONAL CONNECTIONS... IT’S JUST THAT MUCH MORE, IT’S JUST SO VERY NICE.’ UMBRELLA ADOPTOR 118
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‘WE’VE PROVIDED SOMETHING OF AN OASIS OF CALM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT AND HAVE BROUGHT SOMETHING SO ENGLISH TO THIS PLACE. IT’S INCREDIBLY USEFUL AND SERENE AND TRANQUIL. I THINK WE’VE DONE SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL.’ ANDREW SIMPSON
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WE’VE PROVIDED SOMETHING OF AN OASIS OF CALM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT & HAVE BROUGHT SOMETHING SO ENGLISH TO THIS PLACE. IT’S INCREDIBLY USEFUL, SERENE & TRANQUIL. IT’S VERY SPECIAL.
’
The Wet Dream tells the story of creating ‘a whimsical dream of English rain under the parched desert sun’ - an idea that was turned into an installation in the summer of 2011 by Warmbaby. The project was designed collaboratively in the UK, assembled in Reno, USA and then erected at Burning Man in the Black Rock Desert of Nevada. The ambition was to create something curious, beautiful, big and extraordinary. This became hundreds of umbrellas and raining white lights merged with sounds of thunderstorms and pattering rain forming a magical place. Warmbaby is a London based design collective made of friends with diverse interests and talents who share a desire to test, craft, build and experiment. They believe that architecture is extraordinary in the way it can create engaging places that surprise and delight.