kinetic mirrored installation in portugal by moradavaga evokes a shoal of golden fish

ByMyProperty Life

mirrored gold installation by Moradavaga forms a kinetic shoal

A-L-M-A-D-R-A-V-A is a site-specific installation by Moradavaga, created for the 2026 edition of the Mar Motto festival in Faro, Portugal. Located within a former beer factory near the Ria Formosa Natural Park, the project interprets the spatial and cultural context through a kinetic system that responds to environmental conditions.

The installation references the historical practice of tuna fishing in the Algarve, particularly the almadraba technique, which uses a network of nets to guide fish through a controlled path. This logic is translated into a suspended composition of interconnected elements, forming a spatial field that suggests both movement and entanglement.

The work is composed of numerous mirrored, gold-toned fragments arranged to evoke a shoal of Atlantic bluefin tuna. These elements are suspended within the structure, where they respond to changing conditions such as sunlight, wind, and weather. Their reflective surfaces generate shifting patterns of light and shadow, producing a continuously evolving visual environment throughout the day and night.

Read another article:Design Trends for Creating a Vacation Vibe at Home

kinetic mirrored installation in portugal by moradavaga evokes a shoal of golden fish - 1
from above, the piece reveals the unity of the ensemble | all images courtesy of Moradavaga

reused components transform into floating spatial installation

Rather than replicating the original fishing process, A-L-M-A-D-R-A-V-A installation by Moradavaga Studio reinterprets its spatial characteristics. The suspended forms function as a visual marker at the entrance to the festival site, guiding visitors toward the exhibition areas and establishing a point of orientation within the industrial setting.

The project also incorporates components from earlier works by Moradavaga, including Sunwheel (2016) and Wishwall (2024). These elements are reassembled into a new configuration, aligning the installation with broader themes of material reuse, environmental awareness, and the cultural significance of maritime practices in the region.

Read another article:Hot Trends: 20 Best Farmhouse Style Kitchens in White and Wood

kinetic mirrored installation in portugal by moradavaga evokes a shoal of golden fish - 2
each symbolic tuna mimics the scale of its real-life counterpart

kinetic mirrored installation in portugal by moradavaga evokes a shoal of golden fish - 3
hovering above the ground, the ensemble portrays a small shoal of swimming tuna

kinetic mirrored installation in portugal by moradavaga evokes a shoal of golden fish - 4
shimmering golden pixelated fish figures project endless shadows and water-like reflections

Similar Posts

  • San Antonio House

    The trapezoidal tracing of the property is what defined the construction of this house into three clearly settled volumes. Vegetation also plays a protagonist role in the design of this house, both outdoors and indoors. The exterior trees enclose the house generating distinct tons of shades and colours during the different seasons of the year. Within the interior, the unruly green vegetation, contrasts with the stone floors and solid walls, reaching a perfect sense of balance. The entrance, a double height lobby that creates contrasting sensations and distinct visual ending points originated by water mirrors, light shafts, a tree and a staircase. The walls that shape this area, divide the spaces into private and public areas. The ground floor, is organized into two blocks each with a different purpose: The left side, is a white solid cube that integrates the study and the master bedroom and is separated from the other block by a water mirror and a yard that generates the desired privacy, peace and tranquility. The right side, the social area, is a rectangle closed to the west by a rigid wall and opened towards the interior of the house through large floor to ceiling glass walls, giving sober transparency to the yard with views to the garden and the central courtyard. The different angles within the construction achieve visual ending points with great character, as well as, enhancing the sensations provoked by the pure whites that evolve into mixed tones as the day and the seasons go by.