Studio Other Spaces

Studio Other Spaces (SOS) was founded by artist Olafur Eliasson and architect Sebastian Behmann in Berlin in 2014. Their shared interest in spatial experimentation led them to the holistic approach that defines Studio Other Spaces. In their work, they continuously move between overall perspectives and on a highly detail-oriented level, exploring all aspects of a project through each stage of development – from before its inception, to its life or reuse. SOS projects foreground the atmospheric and intangible qualities of their specific locations; approach materiality through research and experimentation; and emphasise physical movement as a means to shape space. Rather than focusing on the design of isolated structures, Studio Other Spaces precisely choreographs environments that invite visitors to reflect on how they connect with their immediate surroundings.

The work of SOS is collaborative at its core. The studio’s research includes spatial, historical, ecological, social, and emotional parameters of a site and its users. Their work draws on traditional tools, production methods, and materials, as well as state-of-the-art design tools, production methods, and innovative media. Studio Other Spaces’ projects in public space and the built environment derive from a broad range of discourses that encompass art, architecture, and other fields.

Recent projects

As part of the reinvention of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery in Buffalo, New York, we designed Common Sky, a sculpture that uses transparent glass and mirror reflections to create modulated views into the surrounding park. The canopy structure generates an ever-changing shadow pattern on the ground and forms a new public space connecting the existing Bunshaft Gallery, the surrounding park, and the master plan and addition designed by OMA.

Inspired by the history of circular calendars, the Vertical Panorama Pavilion for Donum Estate in Sonoma Valley, California, consists of an elevated conical canopy lined with coloured glass panels. The wine tasting pavilion's design elements are abstractions of components taken from a vertical slice through the pavilion’s specific location, aiming at giving an overview that influences the experience in all senses.

The Seeing City, a site-specific, permanent artistic installation for the Morland Mixité Capitale building in Paris, transforms the building's two highest levels into an immersive optical apparatus. A mirror ceiling on the 15th floor transports Parisian street life to the rooftop and activities in the restaurant back down to the city below, while the sky over the building fades into the space by way of a kaleidoscopic ceiling on the 16th floor.

The design of Lyst Restaurant in Vejle's Fjordenhus shows our experimental approach to a project. A reflection of the interconnectivity of all surrounding elements, basic raw materials are shaped by way of simple methods. The interior design, custom-made furniture and dining utensils were inspired by the restaurant's unique cuisine, complementing the fine dining experience by way of an unexpected design aesthetic.

Across the Mediterranean in Addis Ababa, the Meles Zenawi Memorial Park – a campus including five buildings and a park – is currently under construction.

As part of curator Hashim Sarkis’s exhibition in the Central Pavilion for Biennale Architettura 2021, SOS collaborated with six co-designers to present Future Assembly, a more-than-human gathering inspired by the United Nations.

Studio Other Spaces's first institutional solo exhibition ‘The Design of Collaboration’ at Kunst Meran Merano Arte in South Tyrol, Italy, was on display from September 2020 through January 2021. The show offered a tour through SOS's working methods and featured the studio's strong emphasis on collaboration.