THE WOODSTOCK

Description:

Since 1962, Reford Gardens — also known as the Jardins de Métis — has been a National Historic Site of Canada, open to the public. Reford’s legacy lives on across twenty acres of lush and scenic land, home to more than 3,000 species of plants from different locations worldwide. 

For its 18th edition, the Festival has added six new installations, chosen from 162 submissions received from 30 countries. The call for proposals invited candidates to put the concept of “play” into practice—resulting in interactive pieces that inspire visitors to engage with landscapes. The designs are conceived as antidotes to the creep of nature-deficit disorder, bringing back the magic of the outdoors. 

Together with projects retained from past years, this summer’s visitors enjoy some 26 installations that encourage them to pause and reflect—or get moving and play. The following projects are new or revamped for 2017, and are on view until October 8.

The Woodstock — Atelier YokYok (Steven Fuhrman, Samson Lacoste, Luc Pinsard, Laure K. and Pauline Lazareff) Located deep within a forested setting, The Woodstock is an unconventional playground made of wooden logs set vertically into the ground. 

Intended to make children feel like giants as they walk and jump among the stumps, The Woodstock encourages visitors to contemplate the world at their feet. Taken in its entirety, the installation also reflects on our ecological footprint. 

Atelier YokYok is a group of architects, designers, creators, teachers and architectural engineers from Paris, France. [1] 

References

[1]     Moore, Shannon. “The Practice of Play: International Garden Festival, 2017.” Canadian Architect, May 2, 2019. https://www.canadianarchitect.com/the-practice-of-play/.

Additional information

Art, Collaborative, Completed Projects, Exhibit, exhibition organization, Functional, Landscape, Nature, Outdoor, Park, Partnership, Play, Private, QC, QUE, Quebec, Québec, Temporary