Milan, Italy
“As human beings, if we are looking for freedom or connection with other people, we should go beyond physical or invisible space that limits us. We should go beyond the limitations,” states Ma Yansong.
Ma Yansong of MAD Architects was invited by Interni Magazine to create an installation entitled “Freedom” in the courtyard of the Università degli Studi di Milano.
Seabird represents freedom, borderless, and inclusiveness. It also appears in MAD’s project – the Fenix Museum of Migration. It is MAD’s first cultural project in Europe and will be completed in 2025.
The large-scale installation consists of a seabird pointing its gaze towards the sky, preparing to soar into the air and take fight.
The sculpture is comprised of metallic profiles created by Eurostands, covered with LED stripes provided by Ledvance that allow the installation to glow at night.
Half sheltered and half exposed, under the courtyard’s arches, the installation recalls the uncertainty that people have faced throughout the pandemic.
The casual predictions for Milan Furniture Fair 2022, planned for next April, were varied—some bleak, some glass half full.
With “Freedom,” a 23-foot-high glowing seabird peeking out of the Università degli Studi di Milano, Ma Yansong, founder of MAD Architects, addressed this uncertainty.
Illuminated at night via LED strips, the gigantic robotic bird he designed took a hesitant step forward as if to take flight, yet its metal-framed body remained half sheltered and half exposed under the courtyard’s arches, firmly grounded in place.
Project: Seabird
Architects: MAD Architects
Design Team: Ma Yansong, Dang Qun, Yosuke Hayano, Andrea D’Antrassi, Alessandro Fisalli, Elena Bellocchio, and Francesco Nardacci
Client: Interni Magazine
Photographers: Romina Carpentieri
