Floating Black Boxes

Exhibition

Exhibited at TSMD in Ankara, the Floating Black Boxes are the results of the d3 UV2013 competition and are on display to celebrate unbuilt concepts. Designed by Onat Öktem, Ekin Ç. Turhan, and Zeynep Öktem, these two black boxes in the main exhibition hall are floating in the air, symbolizing the perception of the impossible for new and innovative ideas. The boxes are composed of smaller units, emphasizing the building process. The intentional unfinished bottom part of the boxes represents the continuation of the research phase.

The black boxes are made from a special plastic material. Four walls are produced for each box and assembled in the exhibition space. Laser cutting technology is used to create a grid on the surfaces of each wall, expressing the units that are essential to the main concept. Special steel beams, which can be rotated 180 degrees in vertical and horizontal directions, are designed for the stability of the boxes.

Each box has a size of 3m x 4m with a height of 1.70m and is placed 1m above the ground. The distance between the two flying boxes is 3.50m to allow circulation in the exhibition hall.

The visitor of the exhibition plays a crucial role in the design concept. The people standing in the boxes complete the theme of the main concept, which is "If you are in the box, you are a part of the connection with the ground/reality." Without the visitors, the concept is incomplete and the message is not clear. Many visitors refer to it as the "Box with legs" for this reason.

The project started in November 2013 and was completed in January 2014. It was exhibited at the Turkish Architectural Center. The exhibition theme was based on the "Unbuilt Visions" competition.

The Floating Black Boxes received the Silver A' Design Award in 2014 in the category of Interior Space, Retail, and Exhibition Design. This award recognizes top-of-the-line, creative, and professionally remarkable designs that illustrate outstanding expertise and innovation. The design showcases a remarkable level of excellence and introduces positive feelings, amazement, and wonder.