Natural Construído Installation by Colectivo Warehouse

Natural Construído is a remarkable installation by Colectivo Warehouse, designed for the Festival Efeito de Estufa at Estufa Fria de Lisboa. Completed in 2022, this immersive project explores the tension between human-built structures and the organic environment, creating a dialogue between nature and construction.

Concept: Building Nature in a Garden

Walking through the lush Estufa gardens, visitors encounter a carefully structured landscape that challenges conventional expectations. The installation juxtaposes natural growth with human intervention, where bordered flowerbeds and organized pathways contrast with the wild vegetation, echoing urban planning principles within a natural setting.

Natural Construído investigates this dichotomy between the built environment and natural ecosystems, highlighting how landscapes can be intentionally designed yet remain organic. Set on a former mining site, the garden now thrives with roots and living organisms, reclaiming the voids left behind by extraction.

Design & Structure

The installation is based on a dodecahedron, composed of 12 modular units rotated 30° to create a closed prism. The structure rises above the pathways, offering transparency and connectivity with the surrounding environment.

• Materials: Untreated pinewood frames and raw cotton fabric
• Fabric Treatment: Dyed with Curcuma, showcasing unique variations in pigment saturation due to manual processing
• Geometry: Precise modular construction contrasts with the organic randomness of the garden

Inside, the structure invites visitors to step off the paths and experience a new perspective. The carefully positioned pinewood pillars and fabric walls create a rigorous geometry, while rock seating encourages reflection. The design fosters interaction with the natural ecosystem, allowing the installation to evolve with humidity and sunlight exposure.

Interaction with Nature

Natural Construído is temporary yet transformative, responding dynamically to the garden environment. The wooden elements expand with humidity, and the fabric's yellow pigment gradually fades under sunlight. By integrating into the ecosystem, the installation acts as a living organism, emphasizing that nature can be consciously constructed while remaining alive and adaptive.

All Photographs are works of  Clau Pereira