I think everybody loves a secret hideaway; there is something very special and almost magical about being in a tent. I recently came across two projects that got me thinking about these kind of specialized spaces and the possibilities of using them in cultural institutions.
The first project took place at this year’s Port Eliot Literary Festival in Cornwall. The organizers invited artist Dré Wapenaar to showcase his ‘Tent Village Revisited’ (middle), a series of rounded structures clustered like woodland mushrooms. The tents were available throughout the event for, “…communal conversations and interactions as well as a place to chill out with fellow festival-goers.”
The Weisman Art Museum in Minnesota recently started Tent Services, a program where citizens can check out ‘Expeditionary Conversation Tents’ (bottom) for use inside or out of the museum. The premise is simple; the tents are available for free, provided users share some information about what took place during their expedition along with some photos. Designed by Peter Haakon Thompson, these tents create a lovely, focused space for personal interaction, something not always easily achieved in the hustle and bustle of larger buildings.
(top left image: The Paper Tent)
