Upon first glance, some people believe this is an alien landing site, while others think it’s an ancient Egyptian monument. But it’s actually neither of those two things.
The photos you see above are the result of a collaboration between a sculptor, industrial designer, and an architect. Together, this group known as D.A.ST., which includes Danae Stratou, Alexandra Stratou and Stella Constantinides, were able to create this vast land installation called Desert Breath.
The installation spans approximately one million square feet and acts as an “instrument to measure the passage of time.”
Located in the Egyptian desert, Desert Breath was constructed to celebrate “the desert as a state of mind,” as two interlocking spirals — one with vertical cones and the other with conical depressions in the ground. The depressions are the result of sand displaced to create the ones projecting from the desert floor.
Originally, it was designed with a small lake in the middle, but the water has since dried up; at least, according to Google Earth. All that is left is a cone in the center that hangs at the level of the horizon.
“Located … at the point where the immensity of the sea meets the immensity of the desert, the work functions on two different levels in terms of viewpoint: from above as a visual image, and from the ground, walking the spiral pathway, a physical experience.”
This place is simply magical.
It wasn’t until images of the site appeared on Google Earth that the work was rediscovered, which happened to be 17 years after its construction.
“The more time passes, the more it becomes fragile, but it also has developed a more organic relationship with the site. When it was just made, you could feel the connection to the shape, but now, it looks like it wasn’t made by human beings at all, and this is something we like a lot,” explains Stratou.
To view Desert Breath on Google Earth go to coordinates: 27°22’54.59″N, 33°37’48.46″E.
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