Pae White: Qwalala
Le Stanze del Vetro–Fondazione Giorgio Cini, Venice, 2017

Qwalala by American artist Pae White is a 2.40 metre high, 75 metre long sculpture composed of 1,700 hand-cast glass bricks. The winding sculpture, placed in the gardens of Le Stanze del Vetro—a joint initiative by the Fondazione Giorgio Cini and the Pentagram Stiftung on San Giorgio Maggiore—includes clear bricks as well as a palette of twenty-six hues rendered from natural materials such as sulphur, manganese, and copper, following traditional first-century Roman glassmaking.

D.H.office, appointed project manager by the Pentagram Stiftung, oversaw all details of the project, starting with creating a shortlist of artists and ultimately identifying Pae White for the commission. Working closely with White to develop the sculpture, we identified the appropriate glass suppliers and engineering partners to create the work, obtained architectural and engineering approval for the construction, and finally oversaw the logistics of transport and installation.

In order to achieve a minimal effect, and taking into account the temporary nature of the installation, Qwalala's glass bricks were installed on a welded steel foundation and supported only by a structural silicone, a subtle but complex engineering challenge solved in partnership with Schlaich Bergermann Partner.