Sandworm Belgium, Wenduine Building, Belgian Coast Architecture, Dunes Design

Sandworm, Belgium : Wenduine Structure

Belgian Coastal Structure design by C-Laboratory

5 Apr 2012

Sandworm Wenduine

Structure in Belgian Dunes

Design: Marco Casagrande / C-Laboratory

Sandworm is an organic structure/space/creature realized on the dunes of the Wenduine coastline, Belgium.

The 45 meters long and 10 m wide and high installation moves freely in-between architecture and environmental art and is constructed entirely out of willow following the local knowledge of a continuing interaction between work and environment.

Casagrande worked hard with his team of young architects and local experts for 4 weeks in order to create something that he describes as “weak architecture” – a human-made structure that wishes to become part of nature through flexibility and organic presence.

The visitors are describing the Sandworm as a willow cathedral finely tuned to celebrate the site specific conditions of the Wenduine tidal beaches. The space is used for picnics, relaxation and post industrial meditation.

“Inside the sandworm you are greeted by a natural spectacle of light and shadow. I was amazed. How you can create such beauty with such simple natural materials. The artist believes that architectural control goes against nature and thus also agains architecture. The built human environment is a mediator between human nature and nature itself.

To be part of this, man must be weak. To the Finnish artist Marco Casagrande designing is not sufficient. Design should not replace reality. The building must grow out of the location, it must react to its environment, it must be a reflection of life and also be itself, as every other living being.”
– Peter Beyen

Designing is not sufficient. Design should not replace reality. The building must grow out of the location; it must react to its environment, it must be a reflection of life and also be itself, as every other living being. Architectural control goes against nature and thus also against architecture. The built human environment is a mediator between human nature and nature itself. To be part of this, man must be weak.

Sandworm Belgium – Building Information

Title: SANDWORM
Author: Marco Casagrande
Project Manager: Nikita Wu / C-LAB
Beaufort Triennial Curator: Jonas Vandeghinste
Casagrande Laboratory for Cicada: Jan Luksik, Jan Tyrpekl, Lukas Landa, Zuzana Hanuskova
Willow Experts: Karol Jaworski, Pawel
Beaufort Specialists: Santiago De Waele, Karl Van Kelst

Location: Wenduine, Belgium
Measures: 45 m long, 10 m wide, 10 m high
Interior space: 320 m2
Materials: willow, sand
Organizer: Beaufort 04 Triennial of Contemporary Art
Completed: 2012
Photos: Nikita Wu