Plastique Fantastique’s POLYMETER reflects on material life cycle
Installed on the shoreline of Dadaepo Beach for the Sea Art Festival 2025 in Busan, Korea, POLYMETER by Plastique Fantastique examines the relationship between material permanence and natural decay through a dual-layered inflatable installation.
The work consists of two membranes made from materials with distinct temporal properties. The outer shell is constructed from fossil-based polyurethane, representing industrial material durability. Inside, a handcrafted membrane of locally harvested kelp introduces an organic, time-sensitive counterpart. Exposed to environmental conditions, the kelp layer gradually reacts to heat and humidity, and may eventually disintegrate, revealing the vulnerability and transience of organic matter within a synthetic enclosure.
all images by Changsu Yoon unless stated otherwise, Ⓒ Busan Biennale Organizing Committee
POLYMETER reflects on industrial permanence and natural decay
Through the two layers’ material contrast, the installation reflects on the coexistence of two temporalities: the enduring and the ephemeral. The work by creative studio Plastique Fantastique frames a dialogue between fossil-derived longevity and biological impermanence, acknowledging the tension between industrial production and ecological regeneration.
Positioned at the interface of land and sea, POLYMETER engages directly with its coastal setting. The structure operates as both a sculptural form and an environmental marker, prompting reflection on the entanglement of natural and artificial systems in a changing climate.
POLYMETER by Plastique Fantastique stands along the shoreline of Dadaepo Beach in Busan
the installation was created for the Sea Art Festival 2025
the work consists of two layered membranes with contrasting lifespans | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
the installation contrasts fossil longevity with biological impermanence | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
POLYMETER visualizes the coexistence of human-made and natural systems
the polyurethane layer symbolizes industrial durability and fossil-based production | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
an outer shell of fossil-based polyurethane forms the project’s structural surface | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
the inner membrane is crafted from locally harvested kelp | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
the kelp membrane introduces an organic, biodegradable counterpart to polyurethane | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
each material represents a different temporality—synthetic endurance and organic fragility | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
exposed to heat and humidity, the kelp reacts visibly to environmental change | image Ⓒ Plastique Fantastique
POLYMETER explores the intersection between material permanence and natural decay
over time, the organic layer may dissolve, exposing the synthetic structure beneath
project info:
name: POLYMETER – Sea Art Festival 2025, Busan, Korea
designer: Plastique Fantastique | @plastique.fantastique
location: Dadaepo Beach, Busan, South Korea
lead designers: Yena Young, Marco Canevacci
curator: Keumhwa Kim, Bernard Vienat
design team: Sebastian Podesta, Valeria Landete, Maria Eleonora Ledesmam, Sarah Müller, Eunsoo Ko
special thanks to: Busan Biennale, The Busan Biennale Team, and Mina Choi
dimensions: 6m diameter, 4m height
photographer: Changsu Yoon, Plastique Fantastique
videographer: Marco Canevacci, Yena Young, Busan Biennale Organizing Committee, Lee TaeHoon
designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.
edited by: christina vergopoulou | designboom
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