An unrealised proposal for Perpetual Guardian Sculpture on the Gulf 2027, now evolving as an independent, itinerant series.
Pyeongsang: Whitu Taunga is a suite of seven functional sculptures made for coastal edges, designed not only to be seen but to be occupied. Each piece reimagines the Korean pyeongsang—a low daybed—as a vibrant, minimalist plane elevated on slender legs, inviting the body to sit, lie, gather, eat, or simply rest.
The works are activated through use:
- Sit on the edge, legs dangling toward the sea.
- Lie across its surface, framed by sky and canopy.
- Gather around it like a picnic table, defining a temporary social ground.
- Reposition the mobile units on wheels or sleds to follow the sun or shift the view.
- Step onto the floating platform, feeling the buoyant, tidal sway beneath you.
Three responsive typologies engage the coastline:
- Anchored – fixed discreetly in sensitive zones.
- Mobile – moveable and lockable, allowing visitors to leave their own imprint on the land through gentle relocation.
- Floating – a tethered, buoyant marker that turns inhabitation into a kinetic experience.
Over time, these interactions leave traces—flattened grass, skid marks in sand, the subtle reorientation of a sled—creating an ephemeral record of participation. The brightly coloured surfaces remain unchanged, acting as enduring beacons along the shore.
The number seven — whitu in te reo Māori — deliberately echoes Matariki. Just as Matariki is celebrated as a cluster of seven stars marking a time of remembrance, reflection, and preparation for the year ahead, these seven landings form a quiet constellation along the coast. Each brightly coloured platform becomes a place to pause, eat, rest, and reconnect.
Originally conceived for Waiheke Island, Pyeongsang: Whitu Taunga is now being adapted for coastal contexts worldwide. These are not static monuments but invitations—seven durable, vivid landings that foster pause, presence, and shared encounter wherever land meets sea.