hayspace
competition
winner - international warming huts competition 2023
with philipp gmür
hayspace is a small shelter made of hay and string and metal and wood. its sculptural form, derived from the wrapping of twine around hay around a structural frame, recalls the cylindrical haybales which dot the prairie landscape. the columns are spaced far enough apart to allow the visitor to step inside, but are spaced close enough together to allow the visitor to softly brush their shoulder against the hay as they enter. a stray piece of straw might come loose from the column, falling down to the floor. are the  hay columns emerging from the loose hay below or is the hay floor spilling out from the tightly wound hay above? once inside, the visitor takes a small step down into a soft basin of loose hay. while sitting amongst the soft hay, they might pause to breathe in its smell, notice the light playing upon the wrapped columns, or glimpse their own reflection in the ceiling.

this a space of warmth and play and relaxation.