All images courtesy of OU and Benny Chan
Heartburst: OFFICEUNTITLED
October 20th - November 18th, 2023
Reception: October 20th, 6 pm - 8 pm
In collaboration with OU (OFFICEUNTITLED), RAM presents Heartburst, an immersive installation conceived by OU for exhibition at Burning Man. Heartburst encourages visitors to slow down, be present in their surroundings, and achieve a state of mindfulness. The celebration of natural material offers a calming and centering effect, which promotes a deeper connection to the natural world and a sense of stability.
Heartburst's commitment to sustainability is reflected in its use of bamboo, one of the most sustainable and fastest-growing materials available. By using bamboo in the construction of the installation, Heartburst advanced Burning Man’s commitment to environmental responsibility and demonstrated the possibility of creating stunning spatial experiences without causing harm to the planet.
Working with SEAD Bamboo out of Malaysia, a leader in socially conscious, sustainable bamboo applications, the team verified the environmental impact of the structure. Using even the most conservative calculations, inclusive of the entire shipment of the bamboo from Malaysia to Los Angeles, the structure’s carbon sink is still negative -7.5 metric tons of CO2 footprint. This is equivalent to a US household carbon footprint for a year, making this sculpture beyond net zero construction into a “net-negative” build.
As a partner at OU, Bakersfield-based Dave Bantz forged the partnership with RAM for this presentation. At RAM, Heartburst has been reconfigured and is shown alongside photographs by Benny Chan of its original installation and seeks to find a permanent home with a collector or organization, giving a longer life to the structure and reducing its impact even further.
OFFICEUNTITLED is an energetic art, architecture, and design strategy firm focused on creative solutions across various scales and typologies, including art installations, strategic consulting, commercial, hospitality, residential, and mixed-use architecture projects.
Since being established in 2019, the practice has quickly emerged from a handful of staff into a diverse firm of nearly 50, with architects, designers, and design strategists seamlessly working across Culver City and New York City offices. Propelled by an uninhibited ethos that combines ambitious design with deep professional experience, the practice consistently delivers thoughtful yet unexpected design solutions.
Leveraging global project experience from leadership roles in previous offices, co-founders Benjamin Anderson, Christian Robert, and Shawn Gehle, alongside Chief Operating Officer Lindsay Green, have led the practice to engage noteworthy projects of various scales and complexity often reserved for more established firms.